Purvanchal’s marigold makes its mark in international market; first batch exported to UAE

The Purvanchal region has seen a surge in demand for its perishable products, leading to a 248% increase in agricultural product exports in Q1 2022-23 compared to the same period last year.

Marigolds cultivated in Eastern Uttar Pradesh’s farms entered the international market with a consignment of 400 kg of marigolds exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday.

Purvanchal’s marigold gets international market (HT Photo)

The chairman of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Abhishek Dev, virtually flagged off the consignment, which was sent by air from Lal Bahadur Shashtri International Airport in Varanasi.

During the virtual flag-off ceremony, APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev mentioned the immense potential for agricultural product exports from Uttar Pradesh. Reaffirming APEDA’s commitment to fostering international market linkages, Dev stated, “We have planned to integrate more farmer producer organisations (FPOs) into the agricultural export supply chain.”

APEDA Uttar Pradesh (UP), Uttarakhand and Bihar in-charge deputy general manager, Dr CB Singh, said that, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, APEDA has taken several initiatives to boost agri-produce exports from Eastern UP. As a result, vegetables and mangoes have been exported to Arabian and European countries.

Dr Singh noted that marigold flowers have now been exported to the UAE from Varanasi. APEDA’s regional wing in Varanasi coordinated with FPOs and linked them with exporters to facilitate the shipment smoothly to the UAE.

The export has benefitted marigold growers because the exporter bought marigold flowers at the rate of ₹60 per kg, whereas, in the local market, marigold flowers’ rates fluctuate between ₹40 to ₹50 per kg.

The Varanasi region, which had negligible agri-exports due to a lack of basic infrastructure until a few years ago, is now abuzz with activities, giving a boost to exports.

Singh added that after the intervention of APEDA, the Varanasi region has recorded exemplary changes in the export scenario and registered many first-of-its-kind achievements in a very short span of time.

Currently, the Varanasi region has a number of exporters, and agricultural product exports are being undertaken through the air route due to the establishment of a robust quarantine as well as customs clearance facilitation center at Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport.

APEDA has organised more than 30 capacity-building programs in the entire Varanasi region, followed by eight international buyer-seller meets, providing a platform for exporters to market their food products globally, said Dr Singh.

The Purvanchal region has seen a surge in demand for its perishable products, leading to a 248% increase in agricultural product exports in Q1 2022-23 compared to the same period last year. The region has become a preferred export destination for horticultural products, catering to Gulf countries, European nations, Nepal and Bangladesh.