Nabard , Spices Board organise two day training programme for Rajasthan FPOs
Nabard funded Agri Export Facilitation Centre (AEFC), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Spices Board of India, Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders (FISS) and APMC Unjha & implemented by South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC) jointly organised a two-day agri-export training and exposure visits to agro-processing and export industries in Jodhpur, recently.
More than 50 representatives from 12 Rajasthan based FPOs participated in the programme with well-known exporters based at Unjha in Gujarat. An agreement for production of pesticide residue free IPM cumin and sustainably-produced isabgol and on-farm sourcing of IPM spices and medicinal plants were concluded during the programme.
Increasing opportunities
Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder Director of South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC) and coordinator of Nabard AEFC, shared his insights on the spices market system and opportunities in exporting the agro products from Rajasthan to other countries. He emphasised on the rigor in compliance of export norms such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and quality standards by highlighting the adoption of traceability, sustainability and regenerative production practices. Rajasthan should harness the increasing opportunities in export of agro-commodities, medicinal and aromatic plants and seed spices by ensuring production of organic and pesticidal residue-free spices that can be promoted as IPM branded spices, he said.
Rahul Patil, DDM (Mahesana) Nabard , Gujarat discussed about the FPO as a business development entity and highlighted the issues faced during export such as lack of management skill, experience and value addition of the agro products. He also discussed the role of Nabard in investment and financing through NABFIN and NABKISAN , equity grant support to FPOs, support for storage, transport & management for long term facilitated products emphasizing on branding and processing of spices for export purpose.
The guidebook “The Agri Exporters Roadmap: From Local to Global,” produced by Nabard AEFC was released and shared with FPOs and farmers during the inaugural session of the programme.
