Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed MoUs with AFC India Limited, and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), Delhi. The objective is to utilise their expertise by mutually working together to synergize the activities in the interest of agriculture and allied sectors for bringing better value to the stakeholders.
APEDA MoU for Development of Agriculture
APEDA has been focusing on collaborative approach for capacity building of various stakeholders and providing solutions for addressing some of the identified interventions for the development of agriculture and its export enhancement in consonance with the objectives set under Agri Export Policy.
The Agriculture Export Policy was framed with a focus on agriculture export oriented production, export promotion, better price realization to farmers and synchronization within policies and programmes of Government of India. It focuses on “Farmers’ Centric Approach” for improved income through value addition at source itself to help minimize losses across the value chain. Policy therefore suggests to adopt the approach of developing product specific clusters in different agro climatic zones of the country to help in dealing with various supply side issues viz soil nutrients management, higher productivity, adoption of market oriented variety of crop and use of good agricultural practices.
Areas of Cooperation With AFC India
- AFC India shall identify and introduce the critical technology intervention requirement for organic production system as well as chemical/ residue free production system and at the same time also maintain/ enhance the present per unit area production level of the different crops.
- AFC shall facilitate and support for developing the Common Processing Centers in compliance with guidelines of APEDA.
- AFC shall endeavor to effectively support the entire value chain system and do the necessary hand holding for commercial viability initially.
- AFC shall undertake the ground level implementation of all the activities under export oriented clusters notified under Agri Export Policy and other clusters recommended by APEDA in project mode by seeking the presently available subsidies through different Central Sectors and State sponsored programmes.
- APEDA shall encourage AFC for developing pre-production, production, post harvesting, primary processing, secondary processing and transportation/ distribution guidelines for all the stakeholders (including farmers) to meet international compliance.
Areas of Cooperation With NCUI
- To work together to achieve the goal of doubling the farmers income as set out by the Government in its Agri Export Policy (AEP) by providing the benefit for export opportunities to farmers.
- To work towards engaging cooperatives involved in agricultural production for improving the quality of agri-produce and its consolidation for better price realization to the farmer.
- APEDA shall facilitate necessary certifications of agri-produce, organic produce/ farm lands by the cooperatives identified by NCUI.
- To work towards capacity development of agri-processing and allied cooperative societies/ SHGs by organizing various awareness programmes, skill development programmes and workshops at regional, state and national levels.
- Work together to showcase to the Indian and global markets, the products and services being produced/ offered by agri-produce/ processing cooperatives by organizing exhibitions/ B2B meetings in various parts of the country.
