New Delhi, Sept 8 (KNN) Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) have collaborated to offer an Online Certificate Program in Agri Import & Export Management.

The six-month online course offers practical insights for exporters on diverse aspects of agri trade; starting from product and market identification to procedural formalities for exports and imports, Exim finance, regulatory clearances, logistics to settlement of safe and secure payment from international buyers.

Speaking on the programme launch Prof. Manoj Pant, Vice Chancellor, IIFT said, “To address some of the structural challenges and to tap available opportunities in marketing of agricultural products, IIFT is pleased to join hands with TPCI in offering this Certificate Program in Agricultural Exports and Imports.”

Further, Prof Pant said, “The program is uniquely designed to improve the skillsets of existing and prospective agricultural traders to equip them with information, knowledge and skills aimed at building their capacity, capability and competence to engage in international trade of agricultural products.”

“This Online Certificate Program in Agri Import & Export Management will benefit current and budding agri entrepreneurs and managers in the spirit of visionary government initiatives like the Agri Export Policy and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The programme will benefit the industry in tapping fit to job skill sets and help leverage our inherent strengths in the agri and food sector,” said TPCI food and beverage sectoral committee Chairman, Vivek Agrawal.

''This is a promising sector and despite the pandemic, the country’s agricultural exports increased by 17.34 per cent YoY, to reach 41.25 billion dollars in 2020-21. Notably, exports have begun to take place from several clusters for the first time, and several states have made plans to implement the agri export policy,” Vivek added.

Expressing optimism, VC IIFT, Prof Manoj Pant said, “With the pandemic hitting us hard, the agricultural sector remained robust and ever-growing unlike the recession in many other areas of economic activities. It is interesting to note that the share of agriculture in GDP has increased by 19.9 per cent and in total employment shot up by 15.9 per cent in 2020-21. Further, India has registered an excellent growth in agri exports during 2020-21.  In spite of the pandemic, the balance of trade in agriculture has improved by 42.16 per cent.”

The sector has huge scope of further improvement with value addition, proper packing, labeling, marketing and logistics of these time-sensitive crops. Indian economy and society have to gain a lot from reducing the food losses and waste, supply chain losses and tapping the right opportunities in the international markets, Prof Pant added.

India is performing well below its potential in exports of agri products. Its share in global exports of agricultural products stood at 2.5 per cent in 2020, and even lower at 1.4 per cent for processed food products.