GUWAHATI: Vegetables from the Northeast have found a place in the markets of Europe.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an export promotion organisation under the Union ministry of commerce and industry, has exported a consignment of fresh beans, commonly known as hyacinth or lablab beans, on a trial basis from Assam to London.
“A trial shipment of hyacinth/lablab beans (weighing 0.5 metric tonnes) produced by farmers in Kharupetia in Assam’s Darrang district reached London via Kolkata on Sunday night. With the successful trial shipment initiated on October 19, more consignments of the vegetable will be exported to Europe in the coming days,” Sunita Rai, assistant general manager, APEDA, told The Shillong Times on Monday.
The consignment was sent through an exporter from Guwahati.
APEDA is working with various stakeholders to bridge the gaps for exports and to link produce of North East to the international market.
APEDA had in January, successfully exported trial shipments of fresh pineapples from Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya besides sending consignments of oranges produced in the Northeast to overseas markets.
“The season was over after we had initiated the trial shipments oranges in January this year. But in December, we are planning to export oranges to Dubai. Besides, more consignments of other fresh fruits (including a citrus fruit used for flavouring) and vegetables from the region will find a place in the international market,” Rai said.
“APEDA has taken initiatives to persuade domestic carriers to charge competitive freight rates for shipping the perishables grown in the region,” she said.