Exports of Millet to get a boost

Hyderabad

A farmer producer company (FPO), based in Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh has become the first to get the IndG.A.P certification for fox millet.

The development opens up opportunities for exports of millets and also encourages more FPOs and producers of millet to go in for certification. It’s significant as 2023 is being observed as the International Year of Millets by the UN (IYoM), with India having taken the lead in pushing for it. 

The Anantapur FPO- Sri Rapthadu Mandala Raithu Utpatti Darula MACS Limited was supported by Samunnati, Chennai and eFresh Agribusiness Solutions, Hyderabad in obtaining the IndG.A.P certification for the foxtail millet.

Certification schemes like IndG.A.P are designed to help Indian farmers and exporters meet global food safety standards, which is essential for accessing global markets. IndG.A.P certification is recognized as a reliable certification program in India, and it is currently being benchmarked against global standards like GlobalG.A.P to further enhance its recognition and credibility in the international markets.

By obtaining IndG.A.P certification, Indian farmers and exporters can demonstrate their compliance with international food safety standards, which in turn would  increase their access to global markets. The certification also provides a framework for continuous improvement in farming practices to improve the quality and safety of agricultural produce over time and will strive towards meeting UN Sustained Development Goals.

Despite being one of the largest producers of millets in the world, India exported millet products worth $34.32 million during  2021-22, which is relatively small. With growing global demand for healthy and sustainable food options, there is potential for India to increase its exports of millet products in the coming years.      

To achieve this, the Indian Government through the IYoM and Make in India  aims to promote the production, processing, and marketing of millets both domestically and internationally.     

 According to Mr S G Anil Kumar, Founder & CEO, Samunnati,    “Adoption of GAP verified by a robust certification will enhance value realization by farmers and make India globally competitive in agri exports. This is why Samunnati spearheaded the promotion of IndG.A.P standards with eFresh, an expert body on global food safety standards”. 

This achievement of the Anantapur FPO needs to reach all the FPOs across India covering all major crops and commodities. It is heartening to see our efforts are bearing fruits and paving the way to make India the “Millet bowl of the world” in the near future ,facilitate export and increase income to the farmers.”

Mr. Srihari Kotela, Managing Director, eFresh said “It gives us great satisfaction to see the first Farmer Producer Company in India getting certified to IndG.A.P for foxtail millet production conforming to international Standard ISO 17065. This is a great step in the right direction to facilitate increased exports and enhanced income, particularly, for millet farmers, majority of whom are smallholders.”

“We aim to get at least 100 FPOs certified under IndG.A.P in the near future. By becoming IndG.A.P certified, FPOs can demonstrate their commitment to producing safe and high-quality products, which can increase their marketability and access to better-paying markets. Samunnati continues to engage with the FPOs providing holistic support to make them commercially viable.” added Anil.

Two core activities are involved in the IndG.A.P process, the first and most important one - implementation at farm and FPO  level (95% of total activity), facilitated by Samunnati and eFresh, which is followed by assessment (5 % of total activity) by an accredited certification body. The assessment for IndG.A.P certification was carried out by TQ Cert Services Pvt Ltd ( A subsidiary of TATA Projects Ltd), an independent accredited inspection body by Quality Council of India.

 Samunnati, headquartered in Chennai, has presence in more than 100 agri value chains spread over 22 States in India and has powered over $1.9 billion of gross transaction value in its journey so far. It has access to 4600+ Farmer Collectives with a member base of over 8 million farmers.