Bhubaneswar, Jan. 22: A capacity building program on Foreign Trade, Logistics and Exports was held at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here recently with experts highlighting the scope and opportunities available in exports.
The program was organised by the All Odisha SC-ST Chamber of Commerce and Industries (OSCI) in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and SOA.
Mr. Pradyumna Kumar Choudhury, Deputy General Manager, SIDBI, who delivered the key note address, said that banks extended direct or indirect assistance to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) involving training, collaboration with banks, marketing assistance, technology upgradation and their participation in international trade fairs to showcase their products.
Mr. Amit Kumar, Joint Director of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, spoke on the growth and development of export and import business while mentioning that information technology played a very important role in locating buyers.
Mr. S.K.Mandal, Regional Head of APEDA, Kolkata, outlined the opportunities available under food and agriculture for export.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, appreciated OSCI’s efforts in organizing the program while focusing on the need for extending hand holding support to start-ups and MSMEs saying a lot of scope and opportunity existed for these stakeholders.
Mr. Swstik Swain, Secretary General, OSMEE, said that Odisha had a lot of scope for export in areas of food products, fish, agri products and millets.
Mr. Sadhu Chhatriya, President, OSCI, Mr. Bijay Kumar Jamuda, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Ms. Nimeshika Natarajan, Assistant Director, World Trade Centre, Prof. Sanotsh Kumar Rout, Dean, Institute of Agricultural Sciences of SOA and Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), also addressed the gathering.
