Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb. 24: The two-day National Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (NRBSM) organized by the Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Industries, A&N Administration, in association with the Indian Chamber of Commerce, concluded successfully today at Megapode Resort, Sri Vijaya Puram. The event, held from Feb. 23 to 24 at Haddo, witnessed enthusiastic participation from buyers across mainland India and sellers from the Islands representing seafood, coconut and coconut-based products, indigenous spices, exotic tropical flowers, and other value-added food products.
The second day of the meet was dedicated to structured B2B interactions between buyers and sellers, enabling direct trade discussions and market linkages. A comprehensive interaction and feedback session were also convened between the A&N Administration and the visiting buyers and local entrepreneurs. During the session, buyers expressed strong interest in initiating and expanding trade in seafood, spices and coconut-based products from the Islands. Several buyers indicated their readiness to commence procurement on a regular basis.
Ms. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary (Fisheries, Agriculture and Industries), and Ms. Jagtap Kalyani Rajendra, Director of Fisheries, participated in the interaction session. They assured the buyers and sellers of the Administration’s continued support in strengthening infrastructure, facilitating certifications, improving cold chain logistics, and resolving trade bottlenecks to promote sustained mainland-Island trade partnerships.
As part of the programme, visiting buyers were taken on field visits to key production and marketing hubs including the Fish Landing Centre at Junglighat, the Spice Garden at Beodnabad, a fish processing unit at Dollygunj Industrial Estate, and the Government Emporium “Sagarika,” showcasing local handicrafts and value-added products. The exposure visits provided firsthand insight into the production practices, hygiene standards, raw material availability, and processing potential of the Islands. Officials from the Marine Products Export Development Authority also inspected the proposed land identified for the development of a Seafood Processing Cluster/Aquapark, marking a significant step towards strengthening export-oriented infrastructure in the Islands. The field visit witnessed active trade negotiations of Buyers and Sellers which is expected to pave the foundation for future trade development of the Islands.
A major highlight of the valedictory session was the exchange of agreements formalizing new trade partnerships. An agreement was exchanged between M/s. Raja Rao Seafoods and Blue Ocean Exports, Kolkata, for commencement of chilled Yellowfin Tuna exports from the Islands to mainland markets. Another agreement was exchanged between M/s. Versandi Marine Foods, Sri Vijaya Puram, and N S Seafoods for commencement of mackerel trade, signalling concrete business outcomes from the meet.
The A&N Administration expressed its sincere acknowledgment to the Indian Chamber of Commerce & Andaman Nicobar Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their valuable support in mobilizing buyers and facilitating business interactions. The Administration also placed on record its appreciation to the funding and supporting agencies, namely the National Fisheries Development Board, Marine Products Export Development Authority, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Spices Board India, Coconut Development Board, and RAMP, whose cooperation and assistance contributed significantly to the successful conduct of the event.
The successful conclusion of the NRBSM marks a significant milestone in integrating the Andaman & Nicobar Islands’ agriculture, fisheries and allied sectors with national markets. The event has laid a strong foundation for sustained buyer-seller linkages, enhanced export prospects, value addition, and improved income opportunities for farmers, fishermen and local entrepreneurs of the Islands.