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India to Develop 570 District Export Zones by 2030; MSMEs, ODOP Products to Get Global Market Access
The Central Government has formulated a highly ambitious plan to showcase Indian products on the global stage. By 2030, 570 districts across the country will be developed into new 'export hubs,' starting with 12 key districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Meerut, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi. Building upon the success of UP's 'ODOP' (One District, One Product) scheme, small entrepreneurs, farmers, and artisans will now be directly connected to foreign markets via e-commerce platforms. This government initiative will not only boost local employment but also ensure that the benefits of new free trade agreements reach the grassroots level.
Government is going to turn 570 districts into new export zones till 2030 to increase the reach of Indian products across the world and to use new opportunities that arise from free trade agreement. These new exporters would be associated with online export portals for reaching global markets and increased sales.
Great progress is being made towards linking the local products with global markets through the district export zones. The emphasis is particularly on ODOP (One District One Product) products with the objective to provide global visibility to the unique products of the respective districts. Important sectors include agriculture products, handicrafts, GI tagged products, food processing and MSME sectors. The exporters would receive training in quality, packaging, logistics, laboratories, and global marketing.
In the first phase, 12 districts in UP will be developed as export hubs. These include Bhadohi, Firozabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Agra, Saharanpur, and Varanasi. The initiative to establish export centers has also been launched in other states, and efforts to increase the number of exporters from each district are already underway. Uttar Pradesh's ODOP (One District, One Product) scheme is being integrated with the Centre's district-based export strategy. Under this initiative, new emerging sectors are being identified alongside traditional handicrafts and craftsmanship, enabling entrepreneurs to connect with global supply chains. A strategy regarding this was recently formulated during a meeting of the Trade Council chaired by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
