In a historical event for the agri-expertise movement of Odisha, the Hon. Chief Minister of Odisha put into motion the first shipment of mangoes to Abu Dhabi through the first direct flight out of Bhubaneswar under the Biju Patnaik International Airport. High-quality Amrapali mangoes grown in Patnagarh, Balangir, are the first exportable product to Abu Dhabi indicating and opening a new horizon of international trade connectivity to the state.
Balangir has become an important agri-export hub in the year, and Balangir farmers have become the leaders not only in mangoes but also in dragon fruits and other superfoods that are exotic and of high value. Farmers in the region have generated strong demand for their produce among national and international buyers, establishing their agrarian area as a key contributor to Odisha’s growing agricultural influence.
Patnagarh Pragati Farmer Producer Company Limited (FPC) has cultivated the mangoes and is exporting them with support from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment (DA&FE), Government of Odisha, APEDA, Palladium (as the Technical Support Unit), and PRB Superfoods.
Officials from the Patnagarh district administration, the Horticulture Department, Palladium, exporter partners, and FPO members witnessed the mangoes being shipped off to Patnagarh. The district administration closely monitored and coordinated the process, ensuring a smooth export operation, and successfully transported the consignment through Bhubaneswar airport for international shipment.
“Odisha’s farmers are making their mark globally. With strategic support from DA&FE and dedicated partners like Palladium, our smallholders are stepping into international markets with confidence. This first export to Abu Dhabi is not just a milestone—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when government, grassroots and private partners come together.”
– Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha.
“It is a proud moment for Patnagarh and the entire Balangir district that our mangoes, superfoods, and other agricultural products are now reaching global markets. This reflects the unwavering efforts of our farmers and highlights the immense agri-export potential of our region.”
– Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha.
There was also the presence of the Chief Secretary, Shri Manoj Ahuja; the Development Commissioner, Smt. Anu Garg; and the Principal Secretary, Smt. Usha Padhee, Housing and Urban Development Department, adding more grace to the occasion. The officials congratulated the farmers, officials and partners who achieved the feat of turning Odisha into a leading name in international agri-markets.
Balangir Mangoes also Reach London
The same day, 2.5 MT of mangoes from the same FPO were also exported to London through NSCBI (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport), which promised good demand for mangoes in the western belt of Odisha and displayed more of the international attractiveness of the region.
The Successful Support Strategic Sourcing
The DA&FE Department promotes such exports through the Promotion and Stabilization of Farmer Producer Organizations (PSFPO) Project, led by the Assistant Director of Horticulture, Patnagarh. Palladium carries out the venture with support from the Gates Foundation, in association with NABARD, and APEDA steers it as the export partner.
The ecosystem of comprehensive support contains
- Find foreign market opportunities
- Facilitating export license and accreditation
- Optimization of post-harvest procedures and logistics
- Developing the export base of the grassroots-level FPOs such as Patnagarh Pragati
Global Access to Farmers
These export interventions have helped farmers get at least 50 percent more than local market prices due to the direct access of the foreign buyers, rise in quality of the product, and aggregation of the farmers available under FPO formations. This is a change in export-driven agricultural prosperity in rural regions.