Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and startups, especially from the northeast were given focus in a buyer-seller meet organized on Tuesday. The meet titled 'Emerging India Accelaration Program', which is in its third iteration, was organized by AIC Sangam with the help of Assam Startup, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta Innovation Park and Samunnati.
An official from the organizers said, "The event was focused on providing a platform for the startups and FPOs and help them accelerate". She added that the event will also facilitate communication between the startups and FPOs, creating a startup ecosystem.
At the event were present Dr. Archana Nath, consultant at The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Pranjal Konwar, COO at IIMC-IP and Anuradha Bhavnani, board member of AIC Sangam. They were also present as exporters and investors, extending their support to the start-up or FPO that they like.
Addressing the event, Dr. Nath said that APEDA has organized many such meets in northeastern states, adding that where other states get a 40% subsidy, northeastern states get an added 75% subsidy. Mr. Pranjal also spoke, saying that the event will help find promising startups and try to help them establish.
There were many start-ups and FPOs whose products were on show in the event. Some of them were Jawadhu Hills Women Entrepreneur Federation, Birangana Mahila Producer Company Ltd., Molsang Organic Pineapple Producer Company Ltd., Bor Noi Organics Pvt. Ltd. and Pabhoi Greens Pvt. Ltd., among others.
Mr. Gautam Hazarika, founder of Assam based Bor Noi Organics Pvt. Ltd. said that the company was an organic food producing company whose main focus was on deep-water paddy, which is known as 'Bao Dhan' in Assamese. He said, "The rice is filled with nutrition and richness and I can even call it medicinal. Bor Noi is trying to bring this indigenous produce of Assam filled with richness of the whole Himalayan range, the Brahmaputra valley to the people." He also said that the company is providing a link for the local farmers and the market, giving them exposure, adding that 'Bao Dhan' is a culture and we should adopt it again.
Some of the exclusive products on display were items like bhujia and muffins made of black rice from Manipur, dried pineapples, organic seeds and wild honey from Tamil Nadu.
