Lucknow
Union minister of state for commerce and industry Anupriya Patel on December 4 flagged off Uttar Pradesh farm export consignments to Cnina and the United Arab of Emirates (UAE).
The export items comprised non-basmati rice and green chilli meant for China and the UAE respectively.
Patel was in the Mirzapur district of Eastern UP to preside over an agri export conference-cum-buyer-seller meet, which saw the participation of more than 700 exporters and progressive farmers. Dr Madhaiyaan Angamuthu, the chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), was also present.
APEDA is an apex organization under the Union commerce and industry ministry for export promotion of agro and allied products. Its export basket includes fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, processed foods, cereals and cereal products, livestock products, floriculture and organic items.
The Mirzapur meet was organized to boost agri exports from the comparatively backward Purvanchal or Eastern UP region. Exporters also signed agreements with local Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to boost farm shipments from the region.
In her address, Patel said the augmentation of exports of agri and food processing products would not only earn foreign exchange for India but double farmers’ income and create jobs.
She informed India was targeting merchandise exports of US$ 400 in the current financial year, of which a turnover of $262 billion has already been clocked during the Apr-Nov 2021 period.
Meanwhile, the domestic agri exports target has been set at $43 billion in 2021-22.