APEDA Facilitates Haryana-to-Canada Frozen Food Shipments, Opening New Market for Farmers

APEDA Facilitates Haryana-to-Canada Frozen Food Shipments, Opening New Market for Farmers 

General Studies Paper III: Growth & Development, Export Market

Why in News?

Recently, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated a 24-MT Haryana-to-Canada frozen-food shipment, strengthening FPO-led value chains.

Haryana’s FPO-Led Frozen Food Export to Canada

• Export Milestone: On 1 October 2026, APEDA facilitated the flag-off of a 24-metric-tonne (MT) frozen-food consignment from Sonipat, Haryana, to Canada.
  • The shipment was exported by Aterna Foods Producer Company Limited, a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO).
    • Earlier the company exported shipment to Toronto in December 2024, involving soya chaap and canned soya tikka.
• Composition: The consignment contained 2,295 boxes of frozen food, valued at CAD 35,140. Products included green peas, mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, sweet corn and samosa.
  • The exporting unit received support under APEDA’s Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). 
  • APEDA’s scheme supports exporters through three broad areas: export infrastructure, quality development and market development.
• Significance: Frozen processing can increase the commercial value of agricultural produce.
  • It can also create opportunities across processing, packaging, storage, logistics and export marketing.
  • This can connect Haryana farmers with international processed-food value chains.
  • Canada provides an expanding international market opportunity for Indian processed foods.

What is APEDA?

• About: APEDA stands for Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
  • It was established by the Government of India under the APEDA Act, 1985 (Act 2 of 1986). The Act came into effect on 13 February 1986. 
• Administrative Position: APEDA functions under the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • Its headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has regional offices across several parts of India.
• Objective: Its broad objective is to promote India as a reliable global supplier of quality agricultural and processed food products.
  • It acts as an interface between government, trade and industry for expanding agro-food exports.
• Products: Its scheduled products include fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy, cereals, processed foods, honey, jaggery, sugar products, beverages, groundnuts, cashews, floriculture, guar gum, pickles, papads and chutneys, among others. Basmati rice is included in the Second Schedule. 
• Functions: APEDA undertakes exporter registration, standards and specifications, quality inspection, packaging improvement, overseas marketing, export-oriented production, statistical collection and industry training.
  • APEDA also serves as the Secretariat for the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and supports the accreditation framework for certification bodies involved in organic exports.
  • APEDA provides financial assistance to registered exporters through its export-promotion framework. 
  • APEDA’s SPS Secretariat helps exporters understand international Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements and improve compliance with importing-country standards.
  • The Farmer Connect Portal provides a digital platform connecting FPOs, FPCs, cooperatives and exporters.
    • Farmers’ organisations can post sell offers while exporters can post enquiries and identify matching opportunities.
  • APEDA operates systems such as HortiNet, which supports certification and traceability for specified horticultural exports through farm registration and other compliance processes. 

India’s Processed Food Market

• Status: The Indian processed food market is one of the largest in the world.
  • India’s food-processing sector is one of the country’s major sectors in terms of production, consumption, growth and exports.
  • The industry has reached an estimated value of USD 382 billion. 
  • It accounts for 32% of the country’s total food market. 
  • The entire sector expands rapidly at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6% to 7%.
• Production: India ranks in the top five globally for the production and consumption of processed foods.
  • The primary manufacturing segments include fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and grains. 
  • The country possesses a huge agricultural base, converting millions of tonnes of raw ingredients into packaged items annually.
• Export: Processed items constitute more than 20% of India’s agricultural exports.
  • Total exports of processed food categories reached USD 8,034.64 million. 
  • Top exported goods include cereal preparations, pulses, and processed vegetables. 
  • A separate Ministry of Food Processing Industries dataset using ITC HS Chapters 16–23 recorded processed-food exports of US$10.10 billion in 2024–25, compared with US$10.88 billion in 2023–24 and US$13.08 billion in 2022–23.
  • Important destinations for India’s processed-food exports include the USA, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and several African markets.
    • APEDA reports cumulative FDI of US$13.01 billion between April 2000 and December 2024.
• Initiatives: The Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) drives sector growth.
  • The government implemented this scheme with an outlay of INR 10,900 crore. As of early 2026, it has drawn over INR 9,207 crore in investments. This step has added 34 lakh metric tonnes of annual processing capacity.
  • The government permits 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) via the automatic route for manufacturing. 
  • The budget allocated INR 4,064 crore to the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Schemes like PM Kisan SAMPADA and PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) strengthen rural infrastructure and micro-enterprises.
    • As of 31 December 2025, 1,607 projects had been approved, of which 1,196 were completed or operationalised.
  • The APEDA coordinates export promotion. It organizes international trade fairs and buyer-seller meets to build market access. 
  • Initiatives like BHARATI empower tech startups to optimize the global supply chain.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. What is the APEDA Haryana-to-Canada frozen food shipment initiative?

APEDA facilitated a 24-MT FPO-led shipment from Sonipat, Haryana, to Canada on 1 October 2026, exported by Aterna Foods Producer Company Limited.

2. Which frozen food products are being exported from Haryana to Canada?

The consignment includes green peas, mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, sweet corn, samosas, and other frozen food products. 

3. How is APEDA supporting frozen food exports from Haryana?

APEDA provides Financial Assistance Scheme support and facilitates FPO-exporter linkages, market access, processing connections, and integration with global value chains.

4. How will the Canada market benefit Haryana farmers?

Export access can improve value realisation for producers, strengthen FPO participation, and connect Haryana farmers with international processed-food value chains.

5. Why is Canada an important market for Indian frozen food products?

Canada provides an expanding international market opportunity for Indian processed foods, with APEDA aiming to deepen exports and strengthen farmer-group participation.

Disclaimer: Information in this article is based on official announcements and public records. Details may evolve over time.

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