Fast-tracking export to gulf countries, Agriculture Ministry to open project office in Varanasi

New Delhi, January 1: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, APEDA, is to open a Project Office in the north Indian city of Varanasi to fast track exports to the Gulf following the success of a trial shipment of locally grown vegetables to Dubai this month.

 

 

 

The shipment is the culmination of an enterprise inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi a year and a half ago. Varanasi is the parliamentary constituency from where Modi was elected to Lok Sabha, the lower House of Parliament in 2014 and again this year.

In July 2018, the Prime Minister inaugurated a cargo facility on the outskirts of the city to consolidate agriculture produce through farmer producer organisations in the area, process and pack them for exports.

 

 

 

That effort reached fruition this month when 14 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables cultivated by farmers in two districts in the Varanasi area were sent as a container-load on trial to Dubai. The trail export has been successful, according to an APEDA announcement.

An Agricultural Export Hub has now been set up in Varanasi to build on the success of this business outreach to Dubai. Government and business agencies from five predominantly agricultural districts around Varanasi will now coordinate their activities to make the region a source of exports to the Gulf.

APEDA is an organisation under India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, responsible for promoting exports of agricultural and processed food products from India.