India’s first agriculture export facilitation centre launched in Pune

On the occasion of Maharashtra Krushi Din, India’s first Agriculture Export Facilitation Centre (AFEC) established by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) in association with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) was formally inaugurated on July 1, 2021, in Pune. It was initially launched virtually on May 15, 2021.

The physical facility is now open to potential exporters of agri-food products from Maharashtra and will serve as a one-stop destination to provide them with all possible assistance.

The centre was inaugurated at the hands of GS Rawat, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Pune Regional Office. Umesh Chandra Sarangi (Retd. IAS), Chairperson, Agriculture Committee, MCCIA and Prashant Girbane, Director General, MCCIA also graced the occasion.

The centre aims at boosting the agricultural and food exports of Maharashtra by disseminating need-based information, providing timely guidance and organising training courses for all stakeholders.

It will cater to the needs of farmers, Farmer Producing Organisations (FPOs), MSMEs in agri-food processing, existing exporters, and new entrants by hand-holding them through the various stages involved in exporting products. It will support capacity building by providing expert guidance on a range of topics like Orchard Management, Minimum Residue Level (MRL), Branding and Marketing, Packhouse and Special Export Treatments, Country-wise Protocols and Quality Parameters, Special Certifications required by specific countries, Government Export Schemes etc.