Odisha FPOs enter global markets with APEDA and Directorate of Horticulture partnership

New Delhi: In a move to enhance the market reach of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in Odisha, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Directorate of Horticulture, Department of Agriculture, have partnered with Palladium as the technical support unit (TSU).

This collaboration aims to tap into international markets for the state’s fresh produce, particularly mangoes and vegetables, marking a significant milestone in Odisha’s agricultural sector.

Odisha boasts over 800 FPOs, each with immense potential to supply high-quality produce to global markets. To harness this potential, the PSFPO team worked closely with APEDA officials, exporters, and FPOs to identify suitable clusters and FPOs, facilitating discussions and ensuring smooth coordination for the export process. This comprehensive approach included adhering to quality standards, storage, handling, packaging, transportation, and other logistics requirements.

The initiative saw its first major success with a commercial shipment of 0.75 metric tons of fresh produce, including mangoes and vegetables, from Biju Patnaik International Airport to Dubai on May 15, 2024. This shipment, supplied by the Madanamohana Farmers Producer Cooperative Society Ltd. from Dhenkanal district, resulted in an incremental price realization of 20%-30% for the farmers. Additionally, 1.22 metric tons of Amrapalli and Dussehri mangoes were exported to Italy, achieving a 40% increase in price realization.

Sitakanata Mandal, Regional Head of APEDA, commented on the collaboration: “This season we wanted to operationalize the supply of fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) to global markets. This has been possible with the partnership with Palladium, the Technical Support Unit under the Directorate of Horticulture. We started by identifying the clusters and FPOs to source the fresh produce and the effort culminated in the shipment of the first commercial shipment of fresh produce shipped via Biju Pattnaik International Airport (BPIA) on 15th May 2024! The efforts put it by the Palladium under the Directorate of Horticulture in connecting FPOs of Odisha to the global markets is appreciable.”

The collaboration not only initiated exports to Dubai and Italy but also established sustainable market linkages for the FPOs, providing them with access to remunerative markets. This effort has created opportunities for scaling up supply positions with cost-efficient quality control systems.

Biswajit Behera, Associate Director of Palladium, emphasized the potential of Odisha’s FPOs: “With 800+ FPOs in the state, Odisha has a huge potential for supply of fresh produce to global markets. Palladium works on Marketing System Development (MSD) approach to catalyse income enhancement for the smallholder farmers. Such global market connects initiatives not only boost the confidence of farmer producer organisations from remote parts of the state but also offer opportunities to scale up their supply positions with cost efficient quality control systems in place. Looking forward to connecting more FPOs in Odisha to profitable global markets through sustainable linkages through active participation from the private sector and inclusively transform agribusiness ecosystem in the state of Odisha.”