OREANDA-NEWS. April 27, 2015. APEDA provides financial assistance to the exporters of horticulture produce including potato as under:

(i)                   Infrastructure Development: The exporters are supported for creation of infrastructure required for post-harvest handling, specialized cold storages like high humidity, controlled/modified atmosphere , mechanized grading, sorting and packaging. Financial assistance is provided for establishment of common infrastructure facilities by Central/State Government agencies wherein APEDA provides 90% grant-in-aid. A Sub-component "establishment of common infrastructure facilities in PPP mode by Government or Public sector agencies" has been introduced with 75% grant-in-aid to special purpose vehicles (SPV) by APEDA.

(ii)                 Market Promotion for brand publicity through advertisement, packaging, participation in international trade fairs etc.

(iii )       Quality Development for purchase of laboratory testing equipment, implementation of quality management systems like ISO/HACCP/TNC/BRC/TQM, GAP, reimbursement of testing charges for analysis of water, soil, residues of pesticides etc and for getting export oriented need based research conducted . For export testing purposes, APEDA has recognized 29 laboratories after following a very stringent procedure of assessment, audit and surveillance.

(iv)         Transport Assistance Scheme: to subsidize freight so as to make the produce cost competitive in global market.

Export of Potato is free as per Foreign Trade Policy of the Government.                  

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.