‘Districts as Export Hubs’ initiative

Recently, the ODOP initiative operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub (DEH)’ initiative of DGFT, Department of Commerce, with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as a major stakeholder.

About the ODOP Scheme –

• ODOP was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment opportunities, especially, in rural areas.
• It aims to do this by identifying, promoting and branding a product from one district.
• Its objective is to turn every district in India, into an export hub through promotion of the product in which the district specialises.
• The initiative plans to accomplish this by scaling manufacturing, supporting local businesses, finding potential foreign customers and so on, thus helping to achieve the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
• The one district one product launch date is January 24, 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government.

About the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative –

• This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is an important stakeholder. In the scheme, the ODOP product is identified by the state for a district. The criteria for ODOP identification are given below —
  • • Percentage of ODOP produce relative to total agricultural produce of the district
    • Perishable nature
    • ODOP presence in the district relative to other districts
    • Recognisability of the district with the ODOP product
    • Processing level for ODOP in that district, other districts and states
    • Number of workers engaged in ODOP production and processing
    • Marketing linkages
    • ODOP processing infrastructure in the district.