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The country&rsquo;s honey and other agricultural exports are expected to get a boost with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) on Monday signing a memorandum of understanding with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED).</p>
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The development also comes at a time when the government is giving a big push to cooperatives by setting up a separate ministry.</p>
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The MoU envisages ensuring sustainability and growth of exports by cooperatives by addressing issues such as technology, skill, quality products and market access.</p>
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The collaborations between APEDA, which functions under Ministry of Commerce &amp; NAFED, registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act, also support engaging Cooperatives involved in agricultural production for improving the quality of agri-produce and its consolidation for better price realization to the farmers.</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/latest-news/sc-notice-on-plea-questioning-indian-brands-of-honey-82204.html">SC notice on plea questioning Indian brands of honey</a></p>
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According to an official statement, NAFED is creating a network of honey farmers producers organisations across Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Around 65 farmers producers organisations (FPOs) will be part of honey corridor linking north-west to north-eastern regions. NAFED is aiming at bringing all the FPOs associated with honey production for creating requisite infrastructure under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission, NAFED&rsquo;s&nbsp; subsidiary Federation of Indian FPOs and Aggregators (FIFA) is currently partnering with FPOs and the private sector.</p>
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Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping as part of the Integrated Farming System in the country, the government has allocated f Rs. 500 crore for National Beekeeping &amp; Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23). The mission was announced as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat scheme.</p>
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APEDA would facilitate exports by the Cooperatives, FPO&rsquo;s, partners and associates identified and promoted by NAFED.</p>
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&nbsp;APEDA and NAFED will also facilitate participation of Farmers&rsquo; Cooperatives in global trade including B2B &amp; B2C fairs to be organizedin India and abroad and also to mutually cooperate in international business development and promotions.</p>
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The MoU also entails providing assistance towards capacity building of Cooperative Societies, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for their social &amp; environmental compliances and skilling as per international standards. Both the organisations would organize awareness programs Skill Development Programmes and Workshops at Regional, State and National levels.</p>
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APEDA and NAFED have agreed to work in close coordination towards sustainable Cluster development of the clusters in various States notified under the country&rsquo;s Agri Export policy.</p>
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The MoU was signed for utilising both the organisations&rsquo; expertise by mutually working together to synergize the activities in the interest of agriculture and allied sectors for bringing better value to the stakeholders.</p>
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