Appointment of four official members in APEDA Authority

## Report on Amendment to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Policy **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department of Commerce, on June 27, 2022. This notification constitutes an amendment to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) policy, specifically modifying the composition of the APEDA by appointing new members. The core purpose of this amendment is to update the membership of the APEDA, likely to ensure relevant expertise and representation within the authority. Key findings indicate changes in membership from various government departments and organizations. **2. Introduction:** The purpose of this report is to provide a detailed analysis of the notification S.O. 2893(E) issued on June 27, 2022, regarding amendments to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) policy. This analysis is based solely on the content of the provided policy text. **3. Policy Overview:** * This notification amends the original policy outlined in notification S.O. 486(E), dated August 12, 1986, as further amended by S.O.2272 E, dated the 17th May, 2022. * The core objective of the original policy, based on the amendment text, is to establish and manage the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. The objective of this *specific amendment* is to update the membership of the Authority. **4. Background and Rationale:** This amendment appears to be necessary to update the membership of the APEDA. The rationale for this specific amendment is likely to ensure the Authority benefits from the current expertise and perspectives of individuals from key departments and organizations. The changes may reflect personnel changes within those organizations or a strategic realignment of the APEDA's focus. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification introduces specific changes to the membership of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). It substitutes entries for serial numbers 2, 7, 15, and 22 in the original notification (S.O. 486(E), dated August 12, 1986). * **Change 1:** The entry for serial number 2 is substituted with: * **New Entry:** Dr. Pramod Kumar Meherda, Member Joint Secretary PP, Farmers Welfare Digital IT exofficio; Agricultural Marketing Division, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi. * **Effect:** Replaces the previous member appointed under clause (b) of subsection 4 of section 4 with a representative from the Agricultural Marketing Division of the Ministry of Agriculture. * **Change 2:** The entry for serial number 7 is substituted with: * **New Entry:** Shri Jay Karan Singh, Member; Advisor Trade, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. * **Effect:** Replaces the previous member appointed under clause (e) of subsection 4 of section 4 with a Trade Advisor from the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare. * **Change 3:** The entry for serial number 15 is substituted with: * **New Entry:** Shri Oinam Sarankumar Singh, Member; Commissioner, Industries Commerce Government of Assam, Janata Bhawan, Dispur, Guwahati 6 * **Effect:** Replaces the previous member appointed under clause (f) of subsection 4 of section 4 with the Commissioner of Industries and Commerce from the Government of Assam. * **Change 4:** The entry for serial number 22 is substituted with: * **New Entry:** Shri Rajbir Singh, Member. Managing Director National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. NAFED NAFED House, Siddhartha Enclave, Ashram Chowk, Ring Road, New Delhi 110014 * **Effect:** Replaces the previous member appointed under clause (g) of subsection 4 of section 4 with the Managing Director of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED). **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary target audience includes: * **Agricultural and Processed Food Product Exporters:** The composition of the APEDA directly influences policies and initiatives affecting export development. * **The Agricultural Sector:** Farmers, agricultural businesses, and related industries are indirectly impacted by APEDA's decisions. * **Relevant Government Departments:** The changes impact the represented departments (Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Government of Assam), requiring them to adjust their engagement with the APEDA. * **NAFED:** The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd., now represented by its Managing Director. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency:** The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, specifically the Department of Commerce, is responsible for implementing this amendment. The APEDA itself will need to integrate the new members. * **Timeline:** The amendment is effective from the date of publication of the notification (June 27, 2022) and the term of the newly appointed members is two years from the date of the notification. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The intended outcome of these changes is to ensure that the APEDA benefits from the expertise and perspectives of the newly appointed members. Specific expected impacts include: * **Enhanced Expertise:** The new members bring specific knowledge related to agricultural marketing, trade, and industry. * **Improved Coordination:** The inclusion of representatives from key government departments and NAFED should improve coordination and collaboration in export development efforts. * **Regional Representation:** The inclusion of a representative from the Government of Assam provides regional representation and may lead to greater consideration of regional issues in export policies. **9. Conclusion:** The notification issued on June 27, 2022, represents a significant amendment to the APEDA policy by updating its membership. The changes reflect a strategic effort to ensure relevant expertise and representation within the authority, potentially leading to more effective and coordinated export development initiatives for agricultural and processed food products. These changes warrant attention from all stakeholders in the agricultural export sector.

Key Entities Referenced