Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

Source: PIB & Ministry of Commerce and Industry 

The Agri Export Policy was announced last year with the objective of doubling the export and ensuring the doubling of farmers’ income. In order to achieve this objective, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been adopting a focused approach for ensuring greater involvement of the State governments for effective implementation of Agri Export Policy (AEP)

An MoU was signed with National Cooperative Development Corporation to include Co-operatives for their active role in AEP. A Farmer Connect Portal has also been set up by APEDA on its website for providing a platform for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to interact with exporters. Over 800 FPOs have been registered on the portal.

About APEDA

APEDA was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December 1985

Functions of APEDA

In accordance with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985, (2 of 1986) the following functions have been assigned to the Authority.

1. Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export by way of providing financial assistance or otherwise for undertaking surveys and feasibility studies, participation in enquiry capital through joint ventures and other reliefs and subsidy schemes;
2. Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed;
3. Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports;
4. Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughterhouses, processing plants, storage premises, conveyances or other places where such products are kept or handled for the purpose of ensuring the quality of such products;
5. Improving of the packaging of the Scheduled products;
6. Improving of marketing of the Scheduled products outside India;
7. Promotion of export-oriented production and development of the Scheduled products;
8. Collection of statistics from the owners of factories or establishments engaged in the production, processing, packaging, marketing or export of the scheduled products or from such other persons as may be prescribed on any matter relating to the scheduled products and publication of the statistics so collected or of any portions thereof or extracts therefrom;
9. Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products;

Composition of APEDA Authority

As prescribed by the statute, the APEDA Authority consists of the following members namely:

• A Chairman, appointed by the Central Government
• The Agricultural Marketing Advisor to the Government of India, ex-official.
• One member appointed by the Central Government representing the Planning Commission
• Three members of Parliament of whom two are elected by the House of People and one by the Council of States
• Eight members appointed by the Central Government representing respectively; the Ministries of the Central Govt.

1. 1. Agriculture and Rural Development
   2. Commerce
   3. Finance
   4. Industry
   5. Food
   6. Civil Supplies
   7. Civil Aviation
   8. Shipping and transport

Five members appointed by the Central Government by rotation in the alphabetical order to represent the States and the Union Territories

• Seven members appointed by the Central Govt. representing

1. 1. Indian Council of Agricultural Research
   2. National Horticultural Board
   3. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation
   4. Central Food Technological Research Institute
   5. Indian Institute of Packaging
   6. Spices Export Promotion Council and
   7. Cashew Export Promotion Council.

• Twelve members appointed by the Central Government representing

1. 1. Fruit and Vegetable Products Industries
   2. Meat, Poultry and Dairy Products Industries
   3. Other Scheduled Products Industries
   4. Packaging Industry

Two members appointed by the Central Government from amongst specialists and scientists in the fields of agriculture, economics, and marketing of the scheduled products.