India’s Sinduri pomegranate exports hit Dubai market

New Delhi, October 22 (IANS): Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday that an export consignment of Sinduri pomegranates from Himachal Pradesh's Kullu has reached Dubai, reflecting the new inroads that India’s agricultural goods are making in foreign markets."With the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), 1.3 metric tons of Sinduri pomegranate from Kullu has been exported to Dubai. This initiative to connect local produce with global markets is an important step toward increasing farmers' income and taking Indian agricultural exports to new heights," the minister said.Earlier this month, the APEDA facilitated the dispatch of a consignment of 24 metric tonnes of frozen food products from Haryana's Sonipat to Canada. The Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) led export consignment included green peas, mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, sweet corn, and samosas, among other products. The exporting unit was supported by APEDA’s financial assistance scheme.Goyal further stated that as part of the Centre’s ongoing outreach initiatives, a state-level workshop on leveraging FTAs was organised in Gandhinagar, attended by over 200 participants, including state government officials, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) & exporters.He commended Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for his efforts in encouraging greater participation from local businesses and exporters, which will help ensure wider utilisation of FTAs and further enhance Gujarat's share in India's total exports.Goyal said on Wednesday that the multiple free trade agreements (FTAs) concluded in recent years by the government have opened immense opportunities for India’s exporters. The Modi government's focus is on ensuring these benefits reach the farmers, workers, women, youth, MSMEs and small businesses, enabling them to take more Made in India products to global markets.“To help them make the most of these opportunities, the Centre’s Department of Commerce is organising dedicated FTA outreach initiatives in collaboration with state governments,” the minister said.Appreciating Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s participation in the event in the coastal state and his efforts to encourage local businesses to explore new export markets, Goyal said, “More such initiatives will be organised across the country to help every state unlock its unique export potential, ensure greater utilisation of our FTAs and give fresh momentum to India's export growth.