APEDA signs MoU with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research

New Delhi [India], September 3 : To increase exports through quality production and processing, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research which is expected to boost value addition and farmers' income, said the Ministry of Commerce, said an official press release.
MoU envisages the creation of market linkages with farmers as well as Farmer Producers Organizations. A joint coordination committee with representatives from APEDA and ICAR-IIMR would be set up to achieve the goals envisaged under the MoU, further said the press release.
The objective of the MoU is to build the export-centric ecosystem with the requisite supply chain linkages, technological repository, clinical studies, awareness creation, policy changes, and a pipeline of entrepreneurs further stated the press release.
Profiling of Millets growers or farmers in all major millets growing regions of the country and strengthening of the seed supply chain would be taken up by ICAR-IIMR, further stated a press release.
Creation of a Millet Export Promotion Forum in collaboration with all the key stakeholders for identifying export clusters to source sizable quantities of produce and for linking stakeholders with FPO's would be taken up jointly by both the organizations of repute, as per the press release.
Both the organizations would jointly develop an export strategy and accordingly conduct training programmes for the existing millet processors and entrepreneurs on various export policies and schemes for increasing exports of millets.
Development and Implementation of novel frameworks such as Traceability, Artificial intelligence, etc. would be taken for promoting millets exports. Handholding activities for the Startups for export compliance are also envisaged under MoU.
Millets are cereal crops with high nutritive value and are categorized as small-seeded grasses. The key varieties of millets include Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Ragi, Small Millet, Foxtail Millet, Barnyard Millet, Kodo Millet, and others.
To boost exports prospects of various agricultural produce, APEDA has signed a series of MoUs with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and others.