National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), in collaboration with Palladium Consulting India Pvt Ltd, organised a three-day workshop to provide Odisha’s FPOs (farmer producer organisations) with critical insights and strategies to scale their businesses globally.

The initiative convened policymakers, financial institutions, exporters, FPOs and supporting organizations to explore opportunities and solutions for strengthening India’s agri-export ecosystem.

Quoting SK Talukdar, Chief General Manager of NABARD, who inaugurated the workshop, a media statement said the capacity-building initiatives such as ‘Export Pathshala’ will enable smallholder farmers to directly connect with global buyers, ensuring better price realization and sustainable growth.

Over the first two days, leading experts from NABARD, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the World Trade Centre, the Spices Board of India, Bank of Baroda, and panel of industry exporters provided practical training and had interactive discussions with participants on export documentation, compliance, and quality standards, post-harvest management and packaging for export readiness, value chain development for fruits, vegetables, and spices, and risk mitigation and export insurance for perishable goods.

The final day featured knowledge-sharing sessions from successful FPO leaders across India.

Remunerative markets

NABARD and Palladium outlined a comprehensive action plan to strengthen India’s agri-export ecosystem by fostering information exchange, identifying clusters for export-oriented production, leveraging export-support infrastructures, and strengthening supply chains through close collaboration with exporters, it said.

Sitakanta Mandal, Regional Director, APEDA, said: “I am sure the workshop will enable FPOs from Odisha to take up agricultural and horticultural exports to tap into remunerative markets. APEDA in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, NABARD and Palladium would try its best to support these FPOs to scale new heights in global agri-trade.”

Amit Patjoshi, CEO of Palladium, said empowering FPOs with the right knowledge and resources is key to unlocking India’s agri-export potential. Through such capacity-building initiatives, FPOs can build sustainable, market-driven agricultural enterprises. The success of this workshop reaffirms the importance of collaboration between FPOs, public-private institutions, and industry experts in strengthening Odisha’s agri-export ecosystem, Patjoshi said.

SKK Mishra, Chief General Manager/Officer-In-Charge, NABARD, Bhubaneswar, said India has a great potential for exporting agricultural products and strengthening FPOs is crucial for enhancing this potential. By scaling up such initiatives, NABARD aims to create a nationwide network of export-ready FPOs, driving inclusive growth and positioning India as a strong player in the global agri-trade landscape, Mishra said.

Published on February 10, 2025