Bhubaneswar: In a significant milestone for Odisha’s agriculture sector, farmers from Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts have successfully exported 1,000 kg of fresh produce to Dubai through Biju Patnaik International Airport, establishing the state’s first organised and direct export linkage between farmer collectives and an international market.
The consignment, dispatched on Wednesday, comprised garlic and French beans, marking their first-ever export from Odisha, along with baby potatoes, ivy gourd, pointed gourd and papaya. The produce was sourced from members of Farmer Producer Organisations, reflecting the increasing participation of small and marginal farmers in structured global agri-trade.
The export was facilitated under the Promotion and Stabilization of Farmer Producer Organisations project, implemented by Palladium Consulting India Pvt Ltd with support from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, along with backing from the Gates Foundation. As part of the initiative, agri-business startup Villa Mart Private Limited was enabled to connect farmer-led institutions with overseas buyers.
Palladium provided incubation and technical support to Villa Mart, covering critical aspects such as aggregation of produce, export licensing, certification, quality assurance and compliance with international regulatory norms. This end-to-end coordination ensured that documentation, quality checks and traceability requirements were met seamlessly, enabling the smooth movement of fresh produce to a global destination.
The produce was aggregated from farmers in the economically backward districts of Kalahandi and Nabarangpur, with stringent quality control measures adopted to align with international standards. The shipment is being viewed as a pilot exercise aimed at creating sustained export pathways for Odisha’s horticultural produce.
The Directorate of Horticulture played a key role by facilitating farmer participation and coordinating logistics. The development coincides with the state government’s efforts to draft a new Agri Export Policy, which is expected to focus on deeper global market integration, structured private-sector participation and improved income opportunities for farmers.
Senior officials from the agriculture department, along with representatives from Villa Mart and Palladium, were present at the time of dispatch, highlighting the collaborative framework that enabled the export and signalling Odisha’s growing readiness to compete in international agricultural markets.
