May 17th 2024.
New Delhi: Great news for farmers in Odisha as they make their way into the global market with their first commercial shipment of fresh mangoes and vegetables. This achievement was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the state Directorate of Horticulture, and Palladium, the technical support unit for the 'Promotion and Stabilisation of Farmer Producer Organisations' project.
On May 15, a shipment of 0.75 tonne of fresh vegetables was sent to Dubai from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneshwar. This included 0.5 MT of produce from the Madanamohana Farmers Producer Cooperative Society Ltd, an FPO from Dhenkanal district. In the past few days, 1.22 tonne of premium Amrapali and Dussehri mangoes from the same FPO were also exported to Italy. The farmers associated with these FPOs were able to receive 20-30 per cent higher prices for their produce in the international markets compared to domestic sales, as stated in a report.
Sitakanata Mandal, APEDA's Regional Head, commended the efforts of all parties involved and said, "Our goal was to facilitate exports of fresh produce this season. Our partnership with Palladium made this possible as they identified and connected the FPOs with exporters." He also added, "The work done by Palladium in linking FPOs with global markets is truly commendable."
Biswajit Behera, Associate Director of Palladium, expressed that the state of Odisha, with its 800 FPOs, has immense potential to export fresh farm produce worldwide. He mentioned that the market linkages created with export supply chains will not only increase farmer incomes but also create sustainable business opportunities for the FPOs in the state. "Our aim is to provide more global market opportunities for FPOs in remote areas and assist them in adopting efficient quality control systems to expand their operations," Behera added.
This successful collaboration between APEDA, the state government and Palladium is a significant step towards boosting farm exports from Odisha and helping FPOs in the state reach new heights. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the farmers in Odisha and the support they have received from various organizations. With more such initiatives, we can expect to see a rise in the export of fresh produce from the state and a positive impact on the lives of farmers.
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