How ODOP is helping UP's farm produce reach new markets
The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched in 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, follows the "one district, one product" principle specifically for food products. The idea is to identify products that are already grown or produced at scale in…
The idea is to identify products that are already grown or produced at scale in a district and then help farmers, small food-processing businesses and producer groups build better processing, branding and market access around them. For Uttar Pradesh, this covers all 75 districts.
Under the PMFME scheme, each district identifies one food product that has a strong local production base. The product can be a fruit, vegetable, grain or traditional food item.
What Happened
The focus is not only on production but also on what can be done after the produce leaves the farm — processing it, improving its value, creating common infrastructure and finding larger markets. The list includes products for all 75 districts of.
The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched in 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, follows the "one district, one product" principle specifically for food products.
In February 2024, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries released the ODOP list covering 713 districts across 35 states and Union Territories.
The scheme was allocated a total budget of ₹10,000 crore for 2020-2025, shared between the Centre and the states.
Key Details
This gives each district a particular food product around which support can be organised.WHICH DISTRICT, WHICH PRODUCT? Mentha, or mint, has been identified for districts including Barabanki, Rampur, Sambhal and Sultanpur.
The ODOP approach tries to build on that local specialisation rather than treating food production as a one-size-fits-all sector.
A product that is central to one district may have little significance in another.
Uttar Pradesh's agricultural economy is spread across districts with very different production strengths.
Why It Matters
Aonla, or Indian gooseberry, has been identified for Amethi, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh and Rae Bareli. Mango is the identified product for several districts, including Lucknow, Mau, Sitapur and Unnao.
Processing, packaging, branding and organised marketing can help turn a locally important product into something that can be sold to consumers in larger domestic markets.
One example is Madhumantra, a brand developed for multiflora honey from Saharanpur.
What Reports Say
Coverage of the story so far points to:
Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge
