APEDA and NAFED sign MOU to Assist Exporters and Cooperatives

According to an official release, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) to help registered exporters get assistance under various government schemes and help cooperatives sell their products globally and build capacity. 

The primary areas of collaboration, according to the MoU, include assisting APEDA registered exporters receiving assistance under all Government of India initiatives implemented through NAFED. The MoU also aims to ensure the long-term viability and expansion of cooperative exports by addressing concerns such as technology, skill, high-quality products, and market access. 

The collaborative efforts between APEDA, which is under the Ministry of Commerce, and NAFED that is registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act, also support engaging agricultural cooperatives in order to improve the quality of agri-produce and consolidate it for better price realization to farmers. 

Exports by cooperatives, FPOs, partners, and affiliates designated and encouraged by NAFED would be made easier under APEDA. 

APEDA and NAFED will also make it easier for Farmers' Cooperatives to participate in global trade, including B2B and B2C fairs in India and overseas, as well as to collaborate on foreign business growth and promotion. 

The MoU also calls for support in improving the ability of Cooperative Societies and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for social and environmental compliance and skilling in accordance with international standards. At the regional, state, and national levels, both organizations would arrange awareness initiatives, skill development programs, and workshops. 

APEDA and NAFED have also committed to work closely together to ensure the long-term growth of clusters in the several states that have been identified under the Agri Export Policy.

Dr. M. Angamuthu, Chairman of APEDA, and Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Chadha, Managing Director of NAFED, signed the MoU. The MoU was signed with the goal of combining the experience of both organizations and working together to synergize efforts in the interest of agriculture and related sectors in order to provide better value to stakeholders. 

NAFED is now establishing a honey FPO network across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The honey corridor, which will run from the north-west to the north-east, will include around 65 FPOs.