APEDA holds brainstorming session to promote millet export

NEW DELHI : In an attempt to encourage the farmers for their active participation in agriculture export business of millets from the State, Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), on Monday organised a one day workshop cum training programme in Gumla districts which is a millet hub.

Around 50 progressive farmers from adjoining areas of the district and registered exporters from across the State participated and shared views on the occasion. In the meeting, apart from officers associated with NABARD, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Agriculture Department were present. It was discussed in detail how to export millet being grown by the farmers of the district to other Countries during the meeting.

Speaking as keynote speakers and progressive farmer, Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) Professor, BK Jha said that such kinds of programme is very necessary to increase farmers income because convergence of various agencies like APEDA, various departments of Government and private agencies brings many opportunities among farmers and they will certainly get more better opportunities to increase their income.

Jha said that Gumla is known as the millet production hub of the State and the farmers of the district grow different types of millets here by working hard, but due to various reasons and lack of market they are not getting proper price of their products. If the crops of the farmers are sold at the right price in the markets, then the economic condition of the farmers will improve, he added. He also demanded from APEDA to conduct an awareness campaign among the farmers at the earliest.

To benefit the farmers, the businessmen who came to participate in the meeting told that the farmers of the block are growing crops in an organic way, its quality should be improved, care will have to be taken, only then it can be exported to other countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Business Development Manager, APEDA,Ms. Suprava informed about the purpose of the program and said that such programs are being organized to promote exports from the State. She said that the farmers of Jharkhand are very hardworking and they are working hard and growing a variety of millet crops in their fields. Farmers are being made aware about exporting some of the major crops grown by them to other countries, she added.

The Business Development Manager said that APEDA is primarily an export promotion organization under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India and the main objective of this organization is to encourage export of major crops grown by the farmers.

NABARD, DDM, Ravishankar, District Agriculture Officer, AK Sinha were also present on the occasion.