Context: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Commerce Department, has teamed up with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes to work out sea protocols for items such as oranges, bananas and pomegranates to export to different markets.
More about the news:
- No cap on the quantity:
- Sending consignments in ships is much cheaper than sending them by air as it increases the cost competitiveness of exports.
- It also enables huge quantities to be exported while with air transport there is limitation of quantity.
- Most importantly, it helps exporters tie up with markets which have substantial demand for a particular product and want suppliers that can meet this demand.
- Therefore, it helps develop long-term demand from big markets which leads to stability of prices and certainty of demand.
- India’s exports of fresh fruits and vegetables, which increased 13.9 per cent in April-February 2023-24 to $3.65 billion, is expected to get a further shot in the arm with the use of sea routes for transportation.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority:
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is an Indian Apex-Export Trade Promotion government body.
- It provides the crucial interface between farmers, storehouses, packers, exporters, surface transport, ports, Railways, Airways, and all others engaged in export trade to the international market.
- Set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the Agriculture and Processed Food products Export Development Authority.
- The Act was passed by Parliament in December 1985. It was formed and came into effect from 1986. The Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
- APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the following scheduled products:
- Fruits, Vegetables and their Products; Meat and Meat Products; Poultry and Poultry Products; Dairy Products; Confectionery, Biscuits and Bakery Products; Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products; Cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds; Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.
- In addition to this, APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the import of sugar as well.
- APEDA also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for implementation of accreditation of the Certification Bodies under National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for organic exports.
- Organic Products for export are to be certified only if Produced, Processed and Packed as per the standards laid down in the document, National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP).
- Administrative set up:
- Chairman: Appointed by the Central Government
- Director: Appointed by APEDA
- Secretary: Appointed by the Central Government
- Other Officers and Staff: Appointed by the Authority