Sri Vijaya Puram, March 18: The Department of Agriculture is committed to promoting the growth and development of the Agriculture sector. With this aim, under the direction of the Chief Secretary of A & N Islands, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, initiatives were taken to evaluate opportunities for enhancing agricultural exports and promoting local products in the international market. Various meetings with APEDA were conducted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Agri.), Ms. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, involving stakeholders to explore potential collaborations to strengthen the supply chain and create better opportunities for agricultural entrepreneurs in these Islands.

As part of the ongoing effort to promote regional trade and unlock the untapped export potential of the Island for the sustainable growth of local producers, the Regional Head of APEDA Kolkata, Shri S.K. Mondal, is on a visit to the Islands from 15th to 19th March, 2025.

To review the existing export potential and opportunities for the export of agro-based and processed food products, and to evaluate infrastructure, logistics, and production capabilities in various agriculture and other sectors, the Regional Head of APEDA Kolkata visited the cargo handling infrastructure at Cargo Complex, PMB, and Veer Savarkar International Airport for the transportation of products via sea and airways, including the phytosanitary measures.

He also visited various agro-processing industries, including M/s Island Coconut Oil in Burmanallah, M/s Reap Agro Products at Pema, Calicut, and three agro-based industries functioning at the Industrial Estate, Mithakhari, to assess the infrastructure and potential commodities for export by the agricultural entrepreneurs. The Heritage Museum, established by the Tribal Development Cooperative Societies at RGT Road, was also visited, where Shri Rashid Yusoof, Chairman of TDCS, explained in detail about the seven recently GI-registered products. The traditional method of preparing VCO was also demonstrated.

To explore the export possibilities of agricultural and processed products from Little Andaman, a visit was also conducted on 17th & 18th March, 2025. During this visit, the Regional Head of APEDA visited Reflex Industries, an A1 coconut-based industry, and later visited honey-producing farmers' fields at R.K. Pur to identify products with export potential based on quality demand and production capacity. He later met the Secretary and Captain of Harminder Bay village, providing guidance on meeting international standards and encouraging them to adopt modern processing techniques that can boost export quality and extend the shelf life of agricultural processed food.

The visit was an important effort to enhance the visibility and competitiveness of island agro-based products in the global market.