The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) yesterday on 17-03-2021 signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Small Industries Corporation Ltd (NSIC) for ensuring cooperation in range of areas focussing on harnessing exports potential of agricultural and processed food products manufactured by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

According to the MoU, the key areas of cooperation include facilitating APEDA registered members getting assistance under all the NSCI schemes. The MoU also envisages ensuring sustainability and growth of MSMEs by addressing issues such as technology, skill, quality products and market access.

The collaborations between APEDA, which functions under Ministry of Commerce and NSIC, which operates under Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprise, also support promotion of green & sustainable manufacturing technology for the MSME clusters so as to enable units to switch to sustainable and green production processes and products.

APEDA and NSIC will also facilitate participation of MSMEs in fairs of international level including B2B & B2C fairs to be organized in India and abroad and also to mutually cooperate in international business development & promotions.

The MoU also entails providing assistance available under schemes of Government of India towards capacity building of MSME enterprises for their social & environmental compliances and skilling as per international standards. Both the organisations would organize awareness programs about schemes of MSME Ministry, and schemes implemented by NSIC.

APEDA and NSIC have also agreed to facilitate providing of assistance available under schemes of Government of India towards capacity building of MSME enterprises for their social & environmental compliances and skilling as per international standards.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Sudhanshu, Secretary APEDA and Mr. P Udayakumar, Director (P&M), NSIC. The MoU was signed for utilising both the organisations’ expertise by mutually working together to synergize the activities in the interest of agriculture and allied sectors for bringing better value to the stakeholders.

APEDA has been focusing on collaborative approach to bring synergy with number of organisations and institutions having inherent professional and specialised expertise in different areas for capacity building of various stakeholders and providing solutions for addressing some of the identified interventions for the development of Agriculture and its export enhancement in consonance with the objectives set under Agri Export Policy (AEP) announced by Government of India in 2018.

APEDA has been engaged with State Governments for the implementation of AEP. The States of Maharashtra, U.P., Kerala, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and M.P. have finalized the State specific Action Plan for exports while the action plans of other States are at different stages of finalization.

MoU for MSME export promotion enables coordinated capacity building, sustainability and market access support across public agencies. A Memorandum of Understanding between APEDA and NSIC creates interagency cooperation to expand export potential of agricultural and processed food MSME products by facilitating access to NSIC schemes, promoting international market participation, and coordinating international business development. It mandates joint capacity building in technology, skills, quality, and green manufacturing, and provision of assistance for social and environmental compliance and skilling to meet international standards, with outreach through awareness programmes and alignment with state action plans under the Agri Export Policy.