Amid the global epidemic when most of the economic activities have come to a grinding halt there is good news for vegetable growers of the Jharkhand, the State Agriculture Department is preparing to export vegetables produced from Jharkhand and very soon the first lot of vegetables will be sent abroad.
Secretary Marketing Board cum Nodal Officer e NAM, Abhisek Anand informed that the preparation to export vegetables to abroad is on final stage and almost all necessary works have been completed in this regard by the department. "The vegetables have been checked by Agriculture and Process Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). It is approved as exportable material and of international standard. The department has completed its preparation to send the first lot of one tonne to one and half tonnes of vegetables to Saudi Arabia. The process of cargo booking has started. When the Cargo gives their assent and time then the process will be started," he added.
"The Agriculture Department and Marketing Board has trained farmers of Nagri Blocks to produce vegetables of international standard. Vinod Mahto owned Nagri based Farms Produce Organisation was added to it. Around 150 farmers are members of this FPO. They are producing Ladyfinger, Bitter Gourd, Pumpkin and Sweet Corn to send abroad. The test is mandatory to send all this things abroad. After the first lot the chain will form then the department will start to export it to other countries also," said Anand.
Earlier, the APEDA in a bid to promote exports from agriculturally prosperous regions of the Country including Jharkhand had sent the first trial shipment of vegetables from Jamshedpur to Saudi Arabia by the sea route in last year. The Ladyfinger from a farmer from the District, Ram Khelawan Yadav's farms was sent to the Country.
Jamshedpur District Agriculture Officer Mithilesh Kalindi informed that the farmers of the area are happy and preparing to produce more vegetables of international standard. Once the cargo gives its assent then preparation to export vegetables will be started. export-quality variety of fruits and vegetables.
Jharkhand is one of the major producers of vegetables in the Country. The major vegetable crops grown in the state in order of area covered by them are tomato, lady finger, peas, cauliflower, brinjal, cabbage and bitter gourd. The varied agro-climate conditions of Jharkhand are congenial for production of a variety of vegetables throughout the year. The vegetables produced in this plateau region have special comparative advantage as these are of better quality and ready for market when these are not produced in plains. Consequently, the off-season vegetables produced in this region fetch high prices.