E-Paper
UP AGREES: Yogi govt to set up export hub and SEZs under project
This new initiative seeks to enhance agricultural exports further, with plans to develop 30,750 cluster farmer groups and establish a common facility centre for exporters
The Yogi government is set to establish an export hub near Jewar Airport under the UP AGREES project, aimed at boosting farmers’ income, agricultural productivity, and related industries in Uttar Pradesh, with support from the World Bank, a government spokesman said here on Monday.
“Additionally, agricultural special economic zones (SEZs) will be created for large-scale global export of 2 to 3 selected crops, and plans are in place for 2 to 3 world-class hatcheries. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to arrange comprehensive support for farmer loans under the UP AGREES scheme, marking a major step towards transforming the state’s agriculture sector,” he said.
Recently, the state Cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprises Ecosystem Strengthening (UP AGREES) project, aiming to elevate the state’s agriculture sector and gain global recognition for its agricultural products.
“As part of this initiative, an export hub will be set up near Jewar Airport for promoting and exporting high-value products like peanuts, vegetables, kala namak rice, and sesame,” the spokesman said.
Uttar Pradesh’s export portfolio includes meat, basmati rice, fruits, vegetables, and food processing products. This new initiative seeks to enhance agricultural exports further, with plans to develop 30,750 cluster farmer groups and establish a common facility centre for exporters.
The UP AGREES project will also establish agriculture special economic zones (SEZs) in 11 districts across the state, focusing on large-scale exports and forward linkages to capture significant export market shares. These SEZs will specialise in specific products; Siddharthnagar and Gorakhpur will focus on kala namak rice, Jhansi on peanuts, Lalitpur on urad, and Jaunpur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Ballia on vegetables.
The project aims to boost productivity of major crops by 30-50% over the next five years, increasing farmers’ incomes by at least 25%. It also plans to establish a world-class carbon credit market to promote organic farming, set up local weather stations to provide accurate information to farmers, and create 2 to 3 world-class hatcheries to support fisheries.
