The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, organised a Capacity Building-cum-Brainstorming Programme at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi, to strengthen agricultural exports from the region.
The programme, chaired by Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam, witnessed active participation from senior officials of the Airport Authority of India, Departments of Horticulture and Agriculture, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Plant Quarantine, as well as scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR). Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), exporters and other stakeholders also attended.
Discussions centred on challenges such as high air freight charges, limited airline availability for perishable cargo, space constraints, and underutilisation of trans-shipment bonds. Rajalingam assured stakeholders of the administration’s support and stressed the need for a multimodal terminal, stronger quality certification, and block-level training programmes.
APEDA Regional Head C.B. Singh highlighted the agency’s sustained efforts in eastern Uttar Pradesh, citing over 25 training programmes conducted since 2019 on quality production, post-harvest management, and compliance. He noted that more than 30 FPOs have since been promoted as exporters.
Exports of perishable commodities from LBSI Airport, negligible in 2019, crossed 1,000 MT in FY 2024–25, marking a significant milestone in the region’s agricultural export growth.
