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APEDA Facilitates Export of MD 2 Pineapples
Context:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated first consignment of MD 2 pineapples to United Arab Emirates (UAE).
More on News:
- The MD 2 pineapples were produced in the Sindhudurg district of the Konkan region in Maharashtra.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR CCARI) provided essential technical support for post-harvest management and sea protocol development for MD 2 pineapple.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA):
- Established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985.
- The Act came into effect from February 13, 1986.
- It replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
- It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It is the apex body for promoting agricultural exports in India.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
- Function:
- Supporting export-related industries for scheduled products through financial aid, surveys, feasibility studies, and joint ventures.
- Establishing standards and specifications for scheduled products for export purposes.
- Improving packaging and marketing of scheduled products outside India.
- It is responsible for promoting and developing the export of scheduled products including:
- Basmati Rice has been included in the Second Schedule of APEDA Act.
- It has been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring import of sugar.
- It serves as a secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
Initiatives of APEDA to promote Agriexport:
- Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme
- Food Processing Fund of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
- Kisan Sampada Yojna
- Mega Food Park Scheme
- Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries
MD 2 Pineapples:
- It is a hybrid variety originally developed through a breeding program at the now-defunct Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii.
- It is also known as “Golden Ripe” or “Super Sweet“
- Renowned for exceptional sweetness and quality, has become gold standard in the pineapple industry.
- Major Cultivation Countries: Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Thailand.
- It dominates 50-55% of the world market and 70-75% of the European market for fresh pineapples.
- It is not patented, hence not subject to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) restrictions.