Apeda to open offices in Patna, Raipur, Dehradun to aid agri exporters

The commerce ministry's arm, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), has decided to open its three new regional offices in Patna, Dehradun and Raipur to support agri exporters, an official said.

At present, the Delhi-headquartered authority has 16 regional offices in cities, including Bengaluru, Srinagar, Jammu, Ladakh, Guwahati, Mumbai, Varanasi, Kochi and Bhopal.

The functions of the authority include development of industries relating to a certain number of products for export, registration of persons as exporters of those products, fixing of standards, improving packaging, and marketing.

The official said the new offices would promote shipments by agri exporters. APEDA has taken a series of measures to boost the country's agri exports, which crossed $50 billion in 2024-25.

"Focused measures are being taken by APEDA to diversify exports of its scheduled products, including GI-tagged products. This includes boosting exports of traditionally exported products such as cereals and buffalo meat, while at the same time promoting exports of new products like organic produce, processed fruits and juices," the official added.

Further, to expand exports, the authority is developing sea protocols for perishables to enable sustainable, cost-effective shipments and improve competitiveness; undertaking R&D with the Indian Institute of Millet Research and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for innovative value-added products from millets and rice; and improving packaging to extend shelf life, preserve freshness and maintain quality in transit.

To ensure that the Indian agri-export workforce remains aligned with evolving global quality and safety standards, initiatives are being undertaken by APEDA to strengthen technical skills, institutional capacities and compliance through intensive training and capacity building of stakeholders, including farmers.