Marking a fresh push to connect Indian farmer groups with overseas markets, Haryana has shipped 24 metric tonnes of frozen food products to Canada.The consignment, flagged off by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), was sent from Sonipat by Aterna Foods Producer Company Ltd. It comprises 2,295 boxes of frozen food products valued at CAD 35,140.The shipment includes green peas, mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, sweet corn and samosas, among other products, according to APEDA.The export unit was supported by APEDA under its Financial Assistance Scheme. The shipment is being positioned as an example of how FPO-led processing and export models can help farmer groups move beyond the sale of raw agricultural produce and participate in international value chains.”The export creates new market opportunities for Indian farmers and food producers while strengthening linkages between FPOs, exporters and global buyers,” APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev said.The authority has been facilitating linkages between FPOs/farmer producer companies and exporters to strengthen market access and help farmer groups participate in export-oriented value chains.“By linking agricultural produce with processing and international markets, the FPO-led model can support improved returns for producers and strengthen participation of farmer groups in the export value chain,” APEDA said.Dev congratulated the exporter and other stakeholders, saying the direct export by the FPO would significantly enhance value realisation for producers. He also acknowledged the contribution of the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) and expressed optimism over expanding exports to the Canadian market.The latest shipment comes as India seeks to expand exports of agricultural and processed food products by strengthening farmer-level aggregation, processing and market linkages.APEDA, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitates export opportunities for Indian agricultural and processed food products and supports the integration of farmer groups into global value chains.