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As many as 14 States, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Assam, have finalised the State-specific action plan for agriculture export policy (AEP), while the remaining States are at different stages of finalisation of their respective plans, the Commerce Ministry has said.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) is engaged with all States and UTs for implementation of the AEP and has also signed MoUs with AFC India Ltd, and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), Delhi, to utilise their expertise in the agriculture sector, as per an official release circulated on Tuesday.
The other States that have finalised the action plans include Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur and Sikkim.
The objective of the larger AEP, of which the State plans are a part, is to double farmers’ income and also double agriculture exports from the country over the next few years.
Cluster approach
To promote cluster approach in production of specific crops, 20 cluster level committees have been formed in the cluster districts of potato in Punjab and UP, isabgol in Rajasthan, orange, pomegranate, grapes and banana in Maharashtra, banana in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, mango in UP, dairy products in Gujarat and UP, rose onion in Karnataka, fresh vegetables in UP, orange in MP, and potato in Gujarat. “Two round of meetings have been conducted in the clusters for sensitisation of the stakeholders and discussion on the interventions required,” the release stated.
“It is in this background that Apeda has signed MoUs with institutions like AFC India Ltd and NCUI,” it added.
AFC, which is wholly-owned by commercial banks, Nabard and EXIM Bank, provides consulting and policy advisory and implementation support for agriculture. NCUI, on the other hand, educates, guides and assists people in their efforts to build up and expand the cooperative sector.
“AFC shall undertake the ground level implementation of all the activities under export oriented clusters notified under agri export policy,” it said.
Further, Apeda shall facilitate necessary certifications of agri-produce, organic produce/ farm lands by the cooperatives identified by NCUI. The authority would facilitate exports by the cooperatives identified and trained by NCUI, the release said.
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