Value Addition of Agricultural Produce Important to Increase Export Competitiveness & Farmer’s Income: Chairman, APEDA

Chairman of APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr M Angamuthu said that value addition and diversification are essential to increase export competitiveness and farmers' income.

Addressing the National Conference on Enhancing Export competitiveness of Agriculture Produce: Focus: Rice and Fruits & Vegetables organized by FICCI, he said that to successfully increase Agri export we must focus on increasing value addition and develop a strategy for diversification. Dr Angamuthu said “Our farmers must get better farm income by doubling of exports. This is the right time to increase our productivity and diversify to value addition. We are designing specific strategies to improve organic agriculture and value addition in food items”.

He further stated that organic farming is the way forward for agriculture in India and the North East leads by example. The increasing trend of organic agricultural produce is on the rise and necessary steps must be taken to promote organic farming and improve our organic identity globally. The chairman told “We have a properly designed Agri export policy, which has provisions of incentives for exporters, fund to promote Agri start-ups and encourage first- time exporters”.

To realise the Prime Minister’s mission to develop ten thousand FPOs, he urged business chambers as well as corporates to work and develop a greater number of Farmer-Producer Organizations and Agri-export entrepreneurs.

He further mentioned that by serving as a bridge between agriculture and manufacturing and by meeting the basic need of assured supply of healthy and affordable food to all people across the country, the sector has the potential to be a major driver of India's growth in the coming years.

Mr T R Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee & Group President, TAFE Ltd said that we need to design a brand India for agriculture that will ensure quality and reliability globally. We also need high connectivity both via the sea and air routes to reduce export costs. “Improved logistics and strategies to curb losses at pre and post-harvest stage will help generate surplus for exports,” he added.

Vivek Chandra, CEO, Global Branded Business, LT Foods said that India’s growth of rice exports is moving up the value chain by creating customised offerings for market on one hand and strengthening backward linkage with farming community on other.  He said end to end management of the agriculture supply and demand chain will unlock the biggest value for India while preserving the resources.