Buyer-seller meet focuses on export of organic products of Sikkim

GANGTOK, October 18 (IPR): A day-long international buyer-seller meet was organised by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to boost the export of organic agricultural products of Sikkim today in a local hotel here.

Agriculture minister Lok Nath Sharma attended the event as the chief guest. The event also had the presence of importers from Oman, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan, as well as exporters from different parts of India.

In his address, minister Lok Nath Sharma underlined the State's organic potential and highlighted the progressive dairy scenario in the state. He outlined possibilities and future scope of exporting dairy products, spices and horticultural commodities in a joint effort of APEDA by developing market linkages of organic products from Sikkim with the global market. “Besides cultivable land, the State has a huge bank of barren land. I invite global leaders to invest in the agriculture and dairy sector in Sikkim and take forward organic brand of the State to international market,” Sharma said.

Lauding the efforts of APEDA in export promotion, Sharma also sought the intervention of APEDA in playing a key role in showcasing agricultural and horticultural products of Sikkim such as ginger, turmeric, large cardamom and orange to international buyers.

He congratulated APEDA for organising the event in the State and anticipated that the programme would be crucial for farmers-producers organizations, SHGs and aspiring entrepreneurs to be exporters by acquiring knowledge from the professionals. He advised establishing a branch office of APEDA in Sikkim to ensure easy accessibility and facilitate the farmers.

Stressing on making Sikkim an export hub of organic agricultural products, APEDA chairman Dr. M. Angamuthu, who joined the meeting virtually, said: “We all know that Sikkim is a leader in organic products. We want to promote Sikkim’s purest form of organic produces in the country as well as across the globe in the days to come. Let us work together and promote Sikkim as the finest destination in terms of horticulture, value added organic products and other range of products where we have competitive and comparative advantage.”

He further added, “Sikkim can set an example in Indian organic market as we want to take Sikkim as a model in other parts of the country. On similar lines with Sikkim, we want to develop Jammu & Kashmir and other Himalayan States including the North East States for organic farming and promote organic agricultural products in international market.”

Commerce and Industries commissioner-cum-secretary H.K. Sharma highlighted various activities taken up under MSME. He also touched upon the objectives of PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprise (PMFME), Sikkim Skilled Youth Start Up Scheme and provision of subsidies.

Likewise, Agriculture secretary Jigmee Dorjee Bhutia stressed on the need for setting up Sikkim as a food production hub. He also marked the programme as essential for the benefit of the farming community.

AH&VS secretary Dr. P. Senthil Kumar spoke on the progressive indicators in dairy sectors and touched upon the newly initiated manure management programme and its objectives.

Similarly, Sikkim Organic Federation Development Agency CEO Dr. S. Anbalagan briefed the house on Sikkim's organic potential and articulated a wide range of opportunities for exporting the organic produce of Sikkim.

The programme also witnessed the presentation of a documentary film on the organic potential of Sikkim.

Altogether, over 50 participants from all eight NE States displayed a wide range of organic agriculture products.