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ministries under the ambitious Krishi become economically viable. That is a
Udan 2.0 policy. The scheme is slated challenge for the region.”
to boost growth in the agricultural
sector and double the income of Indian • Lack of infrastructure
farmers by removing barriers in supply Rahul Mathur, CEO of Udgam Logistics
chain, logistics and transportation of (Sitics’s Coldchain division) said, “Over
farm produce. the years the biggest challenge in the
With the convergence of the slow agri sector was infrastructure. Due to
moving Operations Greens scheme this, there was a lot of wastage in terms
(announced in 2018-19 budget) into of value of the produce and farmers were
the newly minted Krishi Udan 2.0, not able to market their produce and
the government is offering a freight this was not able to reach the markets
subsidy of 50 percent for agri- where it should be consumed or where
perishables of NER (North Eastern the consumer existed. Apart from
Region) states and three Himalayan Infrastructure was one infrastructure, others like small farmers
States/UT in a bid to improve air cargo big challenge and others with small land holdings and yield
transportation from these states and like small farmers and issues, are other critical areas that need
expand product-coverage from just focus which the government is tackling
tomatoes, onions and potatoes to yield issues, are other now through schemes like these.”
include 22 more products. critical areas that
The scheme is expected to facilitate need focus which the Lack of international air connectivity
and incentivize movement of agri- government is tackling from NE
produce by air transportation and was now through schemes For the Northeast region the problems
formulated by AAICLAS- a 100 percent like these are manifold as they are yet to be
subsidiary of Airports Authority of connected to international destinations
India(AAI), Invest India and India’s Rahul Mathur by air. While flights to six international
National Investment Promotion and Udgam Logistics destinations namely Singapore, Dhaka,
Facilitation Agency under the Ministry of Yangon, Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur
Commerce and Industry. were flagged off in 2019, from Guwahati
The Indian government had committed million MT. And of this number, around airport, the operations were grounded
to doubling the farmer’s income by 2022. 2 million MT is international freight. due to insufficient passengers and the
Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Among its highlights, the scheme pandemic outbreak, however efforts are
Scindia said while launching the scheme, includes a full waiver of landing, on for resuming operations soon.
“We are the second largest producer parking, TNLC and TNFC charges for Bidyut Baruah, assistant general
of fruits and vegetables in the world at Indian freighters and P2C(passenger to manager, APEDA said, “There is no
close to 170 million MT and we are the cargo) freighters at select AAI airports. direct international flight operating
third largest producer of food grains The scheme will be implemented at 53 from Guwahati till recently, which
in the world at close to 300 million MT. airports mainly focusing on Northeast, meant that the exporters have to send
That is the asset side, but there is also a tribal and hilly areas with farmers, the perishable products to Delhi or
weakness side of the balance sheet. We freight forwarders and airlines as its key Kolkata which has many international
only process close to 40 percent of our beneficiaries and stakeholders. flights and the goods are loaded onto
production in India, while international the international cargo and sent. Since
estimates have estimated close to $14 Current Challenges: the cargo could only be cleared at Delhi
billion dollars in terms of wasted produce • Low agri yield or Kolkata, this affected the quality
in India and within that challenge lies the Kuntal S an advisory and consultant of our products. So while export was
opportunity for us. The conundrum of for international trade & standards happening, the problem was that there
farm to market is what we wish to solve & accreditations batted for the was no custom clearance facility till a
for our farmers. That problem can only be scheme and its benefits for the North few years back. Now that it is there at
solved for our farmer if we are able to take eastern states and said, “This is a the Guwahati Airport, it’s an advantage
him or her up the value chain and therein great initiative that will bring a lot of for the exporter, but other airports of
lies the vision of our government which is momentum to the NE region. With local Northeast do not yet have the advantage
of doubling farmer’s income.” entrepreneurship looking up in recent of facilities like customs clearance and
While announcing the scheme, years, the sector has been looking for a phytosanitary certificate yet.”
Scindia put the country’s total freight boost like this. However, volumes seem He adds, “At Agartala airport they don’t
movement in the year 2018-19 at about to be a problem because even if basic have the facility to issue the phytosanitary
3.56 million MT, and in the following infrastructure is there or has been certificate which is issued by the ministry
year as Covid-19 started its onslaught created, they need a certain capacity of agriculture via NPPO (National Plant
that number came down to about 3.36 and volume to flow through it for it to Protection Organization) for export of

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