NABARD launches Agri Export Facilitation Centre at Jodhpur 

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned an agri-export facilitation centre (AEFC) at Jodhpur under its Farm Sector Promotion Fund to create an ecosystem and facilitate export of agri commodities from Rajasthan. AEFC will be implemented by South Asia Biotechnology Centre, Jodhpur in collaboration with local organization, FPOs, aggregators, processors and agri exporters from Rajasthan. The AEFC was inaugurated by Baiju N Kurup, Chief General Manager of NABARD, Rajasthan RO, Jaipur in the presence of B. K. Tripathy, General Manager of NABARD, Rajasthan RO, Jaipur and Manish Manda, District Development Manager (DDM), Jodhpur; Dr MY Honnur, Deputy Director of the Spices Board of India; Dr D Kumar, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary and Dr Neha Bulchandani of South Asia Biotechnology Centre, Jodhpur on 07 October 2022 at Jodhpur.

“AEFC is set up to create ‘one stop shop’ to discuss the potential of agriculture export, make a knowledge repository, develop export protocols, liaise with different export promotion bodies and enable FPOs, processors and exporters to navigate the complexity in agri export from Rajasthan”, said Baiju N Kurup, Chief General Manager of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Echoing the sentiments, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary of South Asia Biotechnology Centre appreciated the initiative on agri-export as Rajasthan offers tremendous opportunity in high value spices, millets, guar gum, edible oilseeds and aromatic and medical plants. “AEFC will incubate potential agri- entrepreneurs, hand hold FPOs and agri exporters and facilitate business opportunities in conjunction with the spices Board, APEDA and RSAMB to achieve the objectives under Agriculture Export Policy 2018 and Rajasthan Agro-processing, Agri-business & Agri-export Promotion Policy, 2019”, said Dr Choudhary.    

The AEFC will be developed as a platform to provide instant services and guidance on agri-export, train, mobilize and empower key stakeholders to harness the agriculture sector, develop capacities and address the need of agri-exporters, facilitate visits of experts and create interface with key stakeholders in agri-export sector for improving ecosystem of agri-export from Rajasthan.