The Agri Export Policy (AEP) approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year to double exports and farmer’s income is gradually nearing its ‘effective implementation’ as eight states have finalised their action plans for the same. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab, and Karnataka are the eight states while others are at “different stages of finalisation of the action plan,” Commerce Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Many states have also nominated nodal agency and nodal officer, the ministry added.
To help double exports and farmer’s income, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) had held multiple meetings with the state governments to make State Action Plan. This would include essential components such as production clusters, capacity building, infrastructure and logistics and R&D and budget requirements for the implementation of the policy.
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The ministry said that state-level monitoring committees have been formed in many of the states while cluster visits have been made by APEDA nodal officers to the product clusters at Potato cluster in Jalandhar, Isabgol cluster in Jodhpur, Banaskantha (Dairy products), Sangli (Grapes), Solapur (Pomegranate), Nagpur (Orange), Chittoor (Mango), Theni (Banana), Salem (Poultry products), Indore (Onion) and Chikkaballapur (Rose onion).
A memorandum of understanding was also signed with National Cooperative Development Corporation to have co-operatives for their active role in AEP, said Commerce ministry. Also, Farmer Connect Portal has been set up by APEDA on its website to allow Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) and Farmer Producer Companies interact with exporters. More than 800 FPOs have been registered on the portal. A Market Intelligence Cell was also set up and distribution of e-market intelligence reports that include market analysis, international trade issues, current scenario. Which interest Indian exporters in important markets and statistical information has been started from November 25, 2019. So far 27 reports have been disseminated.
Source: Financial Express
