APEDA develops sea protocols to boost exports of fresh produce, reduce logistics costs

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has taken a number of steps to ensure that more and more of its Scheduled products are exported to newer destinations. In this regard special emphasis is towards the ODOP and GI products, and also to source these exports from non-traditional areas/states. As on date, APEDA scheduled products are being exported to more than 203 countries/territories, worldwide. To give this a further fillip, more than 27 flag offs were organised in the current financial year. Some of the notable new flagoffs of export shipments were:

APEDA is also actively involved in capacity building initiatives for FPOs as they are increasingly recognized as essential aggregators of farm produce, pivotal in streamlining the supply chain and ensuring efficient market access for farmers. With a focus on enabling direct exports, APEDA has transformed 119 FPOs/FPCs into exporters over a period of five years. Through tailored support and guidance, these FPOs have enhanced their capabilities to navigate global markets, amplifying the presence of Indian agricultural products on the international stage.

The agri-export promotion body in collaboration with the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), has embarked on a proactive initiative to develop sea protocols tailored for the export of fresh produce to long-distance markets. This strategic endeavour aims to optimize the export process for promising fresh fruits, facilitating efficient transportation and reducing logistics costs. As part of this initiative, trial shipments of mangoes and pomegranates to the USA and the European Union are being planned. In a significant breakthrough, bananas were successfully shipped by sea to the Netherlands in November and to Russia in January. The implementation of sea protocols is poised to enable a quantum increase in exports of items such as bananas, mangoes, pomegranates, and other fresh fruits and vegetables, further enhancing India’s presence in international markets.