Hyderabad: Telangana agri export opportunities took centre stage at a seminar organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) on Friday to promote global market access for the state’s food and agricultural products.
The seminar, titled “Emerging Export Opportunities in Food & Agri Products from Telangana – Impact of FTAs,” was organised by FTCCI in association with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao inaugurated the programme and said Telangana had emerged as the largest producer of paddy in the country. Therefore, the state must now focus on exports, value addition and food processing to secure better income for farmers.
He stressed the need to strengthen grading, processing, packaging and branding of agricultural produce. At the same time, he urged producers and exporters to strictly follow international quality standards so that Telangana agri export opportunities could expand in global markets.
The Minister also said the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, had been focusing on strengthening food processing infrastructure. As part of this effort, the Mega Food Park being developed at Buggapadu in Khammam district will support agri processing and export activities.
According to officials, improving post-harvest infrastructure will help farmers gain access to global supply chains. Consequently, Telangana agri export opportunities are expected to grow through better processing and packaging facilities.
Telangana agri export opportunities linked to export infrastructure
FTCCI President R. Ravi Kumar said Telangana currently produces nearly 168 lakh metric tonnes of rice annually. Because of this large production base, the state holds strong export potential in rice, spices, fruits, vegetables and processed food products.
However, he emphasised that export infrastructure must be strengthened to fully utilise Telangana agri export opportunities. This includes developing pack houses, cold chain networks, food testing laboratories and refrigerated transport facilities.
Officials from DGFT and APEDA also briefed participants on global trade procedures and export policies. The sessions covered market access, export finance, Free Trade Agreements and compliance with international quality standards.
DGFT Joint Director General Akshay SC explained that Free Trade Agreements help reduce tariffs and trade barriers between countries. Therefore, exporters gain easier market access and improved competitiveness in international trade.
APEDA Regional Head R.P. Naidu said the authority currently promotes exports of more than 700 agricultural and processed food products. According to him, exports in this sector reached about ₹2.45 lakh crore last year.
He added that Nizamabad had emerged as a key rice processing hub in Telangana. Several rice mills from the district have been exporting non-basmati rice to the United States.
The seminar also featured technical sessions and panel discussions on export finance, credit insurance, export documentation and product-specific Telangana agri export opportunities.
Exporters, food processors, agri-entrepreneurs and Farmer Producer Organisations participated in the programme.
FTCCI Senior Vice President K.K. Maheshwari proposed the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the seminar.