USAID Helps Indian Mango Farmers Access New
Markets
May 03, 2006
Photo Credit: Lawrence
Paulson, USAID/India
Pune – Food Bazaar, a leading Retail chain,
mango growers from Maharashtra and the Maharashtra
State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) have
signed an agreement that allows Food Bazaar to
purchase mangoes directly from the state's mango
farmers. At the inaugural ceremony of the second
mango festival in Pune, Food Bazaar's president Mr.
Damodar Mall issued a payment for a total of Rs.
1,95,000 to farmers for the supply of the mangoes.
The deal is a product of the United States Agency
for International Development's (USAID) Partnership
for Food Industry Development, which helps India
mango farmers improve product quality and direct
access to larger markets.
"The Partnership for Food Industry Development
has demonstrated that strengthening market linkages
among mango producers and buyers and raising product
quality to meet consumer standards in local and
global markets can result in higher profits for both
producers and buyers," said USAID Mission Director
George Deikun.
Today's deal streamlines the market chain by
lowering transaction costs through direct purchase
of mangoes from farmers. It enables farmers to get
better returns on their produce and allows consumers
to purchase high-quality mangos at reasonable
prices.
India is the world's largest producer of mangos,
but it accounts for less than one percent of the
global mango trade. USAID's Partnership for Food
Industry Development works with Michigan State
University and Indian counterparts to help Indian
farmers adopt Good Agricultural Practices to tap
domestic and international markets and improve food
safety, quality standards and also support food
processing. Facilitating a mix of private-public
partnerships, the program gives India access to U.S.
expertise and technology that allow it to access new
markets and increase mango sales.
International demand for mangoes is growing and
India's domestic market is experiencing an increased
demand for processed goods. Capitalizing on these
trends is an important step to help India's
agriculture sector, which employs more than
two-thirds of the country's workforce, develop its
potential.
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