Union Commerce & Industry Ministry inaugurated the first regional office of APEDA in Patna, Bihar during the Bihar Idea Festival. Along with Patna, APEDA will open new regional offices in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh).
- Current presence: APEDA (HQ: New Delhi) now has 19 regional offices including Bengaluru, Srinagar, Jammu, Ladakh, Guwahati, Mumbai, Varanasi, Kochi, and Bhopal.
Functions of APEDA
- Develop industries for export of scheduled products.
- Register exporters of these products.
- Fix export standards.
- Improve packaging & marketing.
- Provide market intelligence & advisory support.
Agri-Export Push
- India’s agri exports crossed $50 billion in 2024–25.
- Focus areas:
- Diversification of exports- cereals, buffalo meat, organic produce, processed fruits, juices.
- Promotion of GI-tagged products.
- Developing sea protocols for perishables (longer shelf-life + cost-effective logistics).
- R&D with Indian Institute of Millet Research & International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
- Training farmers/exporters on packaging, quality standards & compliance.
Bihar-Specific Impact
- Earlier, Bihar exporters depended on APEDA’s Varanasi office, leading to delays.
- The Patna office will provide direct access to exporter registration, advisory, certification, infrastructure support.
- Special focus on farmer-producer organizations (FPOs), start-ups & women-led agri-enterprises.
- During the inauguration:
- A 7-metric-ton consignment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana was flagged off to New Zealand, Canada & USA, executed by Neha Arya, entrepreneur from Darbhanga (founder of Nehashi).
Bihar’s GI-Tagged Products
- Mithila Makhana (just exported).
- Shahi Litchi.
- Jardalu Mango.
- Magahi Pan.
- Others exported in recent years: Tilkut, vegetables, and traditional sweets.
Recent success:
- Bihar exported Jardalu Mangoes, Mithila Makhana, Tilkut to UAE, USA & other destinations.
About APEDA
- Full form: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
- Established: 1985 under APEDA Act, 1985 (Ministry of Commerce & Industry).
- HQ: New Delhi.
- Chairperson: Dr. Sudhanshu (2025).
- Mandate: Export promotion & development of scheduled products (fruits, vegetables, processed foods, meat, dairy, organic products, etc.).
Key Facts
- India’s Top Agri Export Destinations (2024–25): USA, UAE, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Nepal.
- Top Agri Exported Products (2024–25): Rice, buffalo meat, sugar, marine products, spices.
- Millet Exports: Boosted after 2023 declared as International Year of Millets (UN initiative led by India).
- GI (Geographical Indication) Tag in India:
- First GI: Darjeeling Tea (2004–05).
- Administered by Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.