Agriculture And Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme Of APEDA For The 15th Finance Commission Cycle in Siliguri

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985. The primary objective of APEDA is to undertake the development and promotion of the export of the following products: i. Fruits, vegetables and their products; ii. Meat and meat products; iii. Poultry and poultry products; iv. Dairy products; v. Confectionary, biscuits, and bakery products; vi. Honey, jaggery and sugar products; vii. Cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds; viii. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; ix. Cereals and Cereal products; x. Groundnuts, peanuts and walnuts; xi. Pickles, chutneys and papads; xii. Guar Gum; xiii. Floriculture and floriculture products; xiv. Herbal and medicinal plants; xv. Cashew kernels, cashew nut shell liquid, cardanol. The following specific objectives have been laid down in Section 10(2) of the APEDA Act: development of industries relating to the Scheduled products for export; registration of exporters; fixing of standards and specifications; inspection of meat and meat products; improving packaging and marketing; promotion of export-oriented production; collection and publication of statistics; and training in various aspects of the industries. In addition, APEDA has been entrusted with the registration and protection of Intellectual Property rights in respect of 'Special Products' (currently Basmati Rice, for which GI registration was obtained in February 2016). APEDA is also the Secretariat for the National Programme for Organic Production; the organic certification programme covers all agricultural commodities and more than 10 lakh farmers are registered, with certification mandatory for organic products exports. For more information please visit: https://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/

Please refer the URL: https://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/Announcements/FAS_Guidelines_05102021.pdf?v=1

The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is an export promotion scheme run by APEDA. The scheme aims to facilitate the export of agri-products by providing assistance to exporters. Financial assistance is provided in three broad areas: (i) Development of Export Infrastructure — packhouse facilities with packing/grading lines, pre-cooling units with cold storage and refrigerated transportation, cable systems for handling crops like banana, common infrastructure facilities, pre-shipment treatment facilities (irradiation, VHT, HWDT), and processing infrastructure (X-ray, screening, Sortex, filth/metal detector, sensors, etc.); (ii) Quality Development — installation of quality management systems, laboratory testing equipment, hand-held devices for traceability, and testing of water/soil/residues/pesticides/veterinary drugs/hormones/toxins/heavy metals/contaminants; (iii) Market Development — participation in international trade fairs, exchange of trade delegations, organizing buyer-seller meets, and developing/upgrading packaging standards.

1. Assistance is applicable for all APEDA scheduled products. 2. The date of online application submission is the date of receipt for In-Principle Approval; prior expenditure is not considered. 3. For NE states, difficult (Himalayan/land-locked) areas, Island UTs, SC/ST, and women beneficiaries, assistance is up to 75% (ceilings remain the same). 4. SC/ST category defined by 51% proprietor/partner/director holding (held one preceding year and two subsequent years, with an undertaking). 5. Women Entrepreneur category: concern in existence at least one year with woman proprietor/all women partners/directors. 6. Organic products units must have scope for NPOP processing. 7. Processing fee of 5% + GST is deducted at release. 8. Available to registered exporters and Central/State agencies, FPOs, etc. 9. Documents to be self-certified and submitted physically within 30 days. 10. New equipment requires quotations from a minimum of three OEMs/dealers; assistance computed on the lowest quoted rate. 11-16. Feasibility-study quotations from firms with 5 years' experience; quotations to show address/GSTN/TIN/PAN/specifications; civil work restricted to Technical Civil Work (max 25% of eligible assistance); training schedule to be submitted; quarterly export performance to be filed even if nil. 17-22. IPA required for all components except lab testing; IPA amendments/extensions on merit; APEDA may appraise via outside agency; decision on admissibility is final. 23-35. Ownership changes to be updated in RCMC; reimbursement is back-ended after verification; multiple units must be in IEC and RCMC; disbursement subject to budget; FSSAI compliance required; beneficiary must not sell the unit for 5 years (pack-house/reefer van/cable car etc.); a declaration of no other assistance is required; APEDA may conduct pre-inspection; incomplete applications are rejected; disputes governed by Indian law with jurisdiction in New Delhi and final decision by the Chairman, APEDA.

I. A detailed proposal containing the company profile, nature of the project, existing infrastructure, proposed infrastructure, benefit from the proposed facility in terms of capacity increase/quality upgradation, existing and proposed process flow chart, intended market viability, etc. The cost of the project should be duly supported by Quotations (for equipment), Bills of quantity (for civil work), etc. ii. It is mandatory for the applicant to file the application online for seeking financial assistance through the Submit FAS Application in the Schemes Menu given on the APEDA website www.apeda.gov.in iii. After successful submission of the online application a Track no. shall be generated through the system. The applicant has to submit a printout of the online application submitted and a copy of the electronic acknowledgment sheet bearing application Track No. along with the above-mentioned relevant documents within 30 days from the date of the online application. Failure to do so shall result in the automatic cancellation of the online application.