Boosting Agriculture: APEDA Secretary Highlights Crop Nutrition, Quality Assurance & Organized Supply Chains
APEDA Secretary highlights role of advanced inputs, organized logistics, and traceability in enhancing productivity and exports
Mumbai, Dec 10: Dr. Sudhanshu, Secretary of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), today underscored the critical importance of crop nutrition, quality assurance, and organized supply chains in driving India’s agricultural productivity and export potential.
Speaking at the PHDCCI Agribusiness Summit, Dr. Sudhanshu emphasized the need for modern infrastructure, citing examples from potato clusters in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, where advanced cold storage facilities are essential to maintain quality and reduce post-harvest losses.
He highlighted APEDA’s extensive network of NABL-accredited laboratories, which provide farmers and exporters with rigorous testing and traceability support. Successful case studies include grape, pomegranate, and peanut exports, as well as specialized shipments of non-Basmati rice to Japan, demonstrating how organized systems can help India meet global standards.
According to Dr. Sudhanshu, integrating high-quality inputs with efficient supply chains is key to scaling agricultural exports and expanding India’s agri-GDP.
Justice Dr. Sudhir Kumar Jain, former Delhi High Court judge and Member (Judicial) at NCDRC, stressed the need for greater awareness among farmers regarding consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. He noted that farmers can now access faster dispute resolution for issues like defective seeds, rejected crop insurance claims, or crop damage, including through class-action complaints.
RK Goyal, MD of Verdesian Life Sciences (South Asia & SE Asia), highlighted the impact of advanced seed and nutrient technologies, reporting 15–20% yield improvements in field trials. He added that nutrient-efficient solutions are helping farmers reduce DAP usage by up to 40% while strengthening crop growth a shift crucial for productivity at scale.
NAFED Director Ashok Thakur shared how farmer institutions can translate policy into tangible results, pointing to NAFED’s improved procurement, decentralized storage, and enhanced recovery rates in onions, which have also created local employment opportunities.
The session concluded with a consensus that improved crop nutrition, quality assurance, modern storage, traceability, and farmer awareness must work in tandem to achieve higher yields and build a resilient agricultural economy.
