Bhubaneswar: In a major milestone for Odisha’s agricultural sector, fresh strawberries grown in Dhenkanal district have been exported to London for the first time, marking a new chapter in the state’s horticulture history.
A total of 52 kilograms of fresh strawberries cultivated in Neelakanthapur village under Bhuban block and Ramei Khamar village under Gandia block were shipped to the UK. The historic export was facilitated by the Saptasajya Agro Producer Company Limited, a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO), highlighting the growing strength of farmer collectives in accessing global markets.
The export consignment was formally flagged off during a district-level flower exhibition in Dhenkanal by District Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil, who termed the achievement an extraordinary success for the district. He lauded the role of the PSFPO project implemented by Palladium and assured that similar agricultural export initiatives would be further accelerated in the coming days.
The launch event was attended by Deputy Director of Horticulture Devaprasad Rautaray, Cooperative Agriculture Engineer Ashutosh Behera, Director of Saptasajya Agro Producer Company Limited Sudipti Ranjan Biswal, along with representatives from Palladium.
Officials said the export is expected to significantly boost farmers’ incomes, with growers likely to earn nearly 50 per cent higher prices compared to local markets. Beyond opening doors to international trade, the initiative demonstrates the collective capacity and technical competence of FPOs in producing export-quality horticultural produce.
The success has been made possible through coordinated efforts of the Directorate of Horticulture under the state Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, in collaboration with APEDA, the World Trade Center (WTC) and the Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM).
The landmark export positions Odisha as an emerging player in high-value horticultural exports and strengthens prospects for farmers to connect with global value chains.
-OdishaAge
