**Executive Summary**
This document addresses a parliamentary question regarding government initiatives to promote exports from the Nashik district of Maharashtra. It outlines the recognition of Nashik as a major export cluster and details steps taken to boost exports, including the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative and the Export Promotion Mission (EPM). The document also describes the targeted support for MSMEs and small exporters.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative:**
* A capacity-building initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) aimed at promoting exports, manufacturing, and employment generation.
* Provides export facilitation, handholding, sensitization support, and onboarding to digital e-commerce and logistics platforms.
* Focuses on grapes, onions, wine, processed agri-products, and pharmaceutical products from the Nashik district.
* Awareness programmes were held every year for the benefit of exporters in the Nashik district.
* **District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC):**
* Constituted for Nashik District, comprising representatives from various authorities.
* Oversees district-specific export facilitation initiatives, reviews constraints, and recommends appropriate interventions.
* Prepared the District Export Action Plan (DEAP) for Nashik District, identifying export potential, supporting local businesses, improving infrastructure, and connecting them to global markets.
* **Export Promotion Mission (EPM):**
* Approved for FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31 (approved on November 12, 2025), aimed at strengthening India's export competitiveness.
* Operates through two integrated sub-schemes:
* *Niryat Protsahan*: Focuses on improving access to trade finance.
* *Niryat Disha*: Focuses on other trade enablers such as export quality and compliance support.
* EPM would support exporters of all regions, including Nashik.
* **Other Initiatives:**
* 'BHARATI' (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement) initiative launched by the Department of Commerce (APEDA) to empower agri-food startups.
* Trade Connect e-Platform launched to provide trade-related information to Indian exporters, particularly MSMEs.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Exporters and MSMEs in Nashik District
**Impact:** Benefit from increased support in export facilitation, access to finance, technology, and market information, aimed at enhancing competitiveness and reducing export-related costs.
**Action Required:** Utilize the various initiatives and platforms provided by the government to enhance export capabilities and access new markets.
**Stakeholder:** Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
**Impact:** Responsible for implementing and overseeing the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative.
**Action Required:** Continue to support and develop the DEH initiative to promote exports, manufacturing, and employment generation at the grassroots level.
**Stakeholder:** Department of Commerce and APEDA
**Impact:** To increase trade-related information and Agri-food startups.
**Action Required:** Support Agri-food startups, promote innovation, and address export challenges in product development and logistics.
Key Entities Referenced
Districts as Export Hubs (DEH): A capacity-building initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, aimed at promoting exports, manufacturing, and employment generation at the grassroots level.
Nashik: Nashik district of Maharashtra, recognized as a major export cluster.
Scheme for Export Promotion Mission (EPM): A scheme aimed at strengthening India's export competitiveness and supporting exporters in global markets, particularly MSMEs.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT): Department of Commerce agency responsible for the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative.
District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC): Committee constituted for Nashik District to oversee district-specific export facilitation initiatives.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1837
ANSWERED ON 10/02/2026
PROMOTING EXPORTS FROM NASHIK
1837. SHRI RAJABHAU PARAG PRAKASH WAJE:
Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ¼okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h½ be
pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government recognizes Nashik district of Maharashtra as a major
export cluster for grapes, onions, wine, processed agri-products, engineering
goods and pharmaceuticals, and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the specific steps taken during the last three years to promote exports from Nashik,
including market access, logistics, cold-chain, testing and certification facilities;
(c) whether new global markets have been identified for Nashik’s agri and industrial
exports amid the recent export slowdown and, if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the targeted support being provided to MSMEs and small exporters of Nashik to
enhance competitiveness and reduce export-related costs?
ANSWER
okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT;ea=h ¼Jh ftfru izlkn½
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (d) Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) is a capacity-building initiative of the
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, aimed at
promoting exports, manufacturing, and employment generation at the grassroots level.
Under the DEH initiative, export facilitation, handholding and sensitisation support, and
onboarding to digital e-commerce and logistics platforms are provided, thereby
equipping exporters and MSMEs with the essential support required to effectively
engage in international trade through awareness programs. Awareness programmes
were held every year for the benefit of exporters in the Nashik district.
Grapes, onions, wine, processed agri-products, and pharmaceutical products from the
Nashik district of Maharashtra are identified as focus products under the Districts as
Export Hubs (DEH) initiative.
1The District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) has been constituted for Nashik
District, comprising representatives from the regional authority of DGFT, the district
authority, other state and central government authorities, etc., to oversee district-
specific export facilitation initiatives, review constraints, and recommend appropriate
interventions.
The DEPC of Nashik district has also prepared the District Export Action Plan (DEAP),
identifying export potential, supporting local businesses, improving infrastructure, and
connecting them to global markets for Nashik District.
Further, the Government has approved the Scheme for Export Promotion Mission
(EPM) for the period FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31 on November 12, 2025, aimed at
strengthening India’s export competitiveness and supporting exporters in global
markets, particularly MSMEs. The EPM shall operate through two integrated sub-
schemes:
i. Niryat Protsahan, focused on improving access to trade finance through
instruments such as interest subvention, export factoring, collateral guarantee for
export credit, credit for e-commerce exporters, and credit enhancement support
for export diversification; and
ii. Niryat Disha, focused on other trade enablers, including export quality and
compliance support, international branding and packaging, market access
initiatives, export logistics & warehousing, and trade intelligence.
EPM would support exporters of all regions, including Nashik.
The Department of Commerce, through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority (APEDA), has launched the new initiative ‘BHARATI’
(Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export
Enablement). It is designed to empower agri-food startups, promote innovation, and
address export challenges in product development and logistics.
The Government has launched the Trade Connect e-Platform to provide comprehensive
trade-related information to Indian exporters, particularly MSMEs. It acts as an
intermediary platform connecting Indian Missions Abroad, Export Promotion Councils,
and the Department of Commerce to provide services and answer queries for new and
existing exporters.
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