India's Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry on December 1 flagged off a trial export shipment of GI-tagged Khasi Mandarin orange from Meghalaya to Dubai, in association with Meghalaya's Ministry of Agriculture and farmers' welfare.
The initiative forms part of efforts to promote exports of locally sourced Geographical Indications tagged agricultural products. The program is being implemented through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the apex agricultural export promotion body under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The trial consignment comprised one tonne of organic citrus fruit sourced from a Jirang-based farmer-producer company in Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya. Khasi Mandarin oranges are cultivated under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region, a sub-mission of the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.
The shipment was flagged off by S Sadhu, Agriculture Secretary, Government of Meghalaya. APEDA chairman M Angamuthu addressed the gathering virtually and highlighted the role of the Northeast in organic production.
"It's a fact that the North Eastern Region is a leader in organic products. The time is apt to promote Meghalaya's purest form of organic oranges in the country as well as across the globe. So, let us work together and promote horticulture, value-added organic products, and other products of Meghalaya," he said.
According to an official statement, APEDA's interventions have contributed to higher agricultural exports from Northeast states, including Meghalaya, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. The region recorded 85.34 per cent growth in agricultural exports over six years, increasing from US$2.52 million in 2016-17 to US$17.2 million in 2021-22.
Major export destinations from the Northeast include Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Middle East, the UK, and Europe.
Source: The News Mill
