Noida International Airport at Jewar is being readied with dedicated infrastructure to help Uttar Pradesh potato growers and farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) access overseas markets, a move that could directly benefit the Aligarh district, one of the State’s major potato-producing centres.
Planned facilities to cut export travel and processing burdens
State and development authority proposals envisage a separate facility at the airport for potato export processing and certification. The intent is to reduce the need for farmers and exporters from production centres such as Aligarh to travel to other cities to complete export-related procedures, sources reporting the plan said.
The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has proposed a 50-acre Agri Export Hub near the airport’s cargo facilities. The planned complex is expected to include food processing and packaging units, product testing and certification centres, gamma-radiation treatment facilities for fresh produce and logistics support for export-oriented processing.
"The broader plan is aimed at connecting Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural products with markets in West Asia, Europe and Russia."
Uttar Pradesh is the country’s largest potato producer, accounting for about 28.6 per cent of India’s output according to State data cited in the plan. Aligarh figures prominently in the scheme: the district currently holds around 6.5 lakh tonnes of potatoes in 126 cold stores, underlining its role in the supply chain for any export push via Jewar.
- 50-acre Agri Export Hub proposed by YEIDA near Jewar cargo zone
- Dedicated potato export processing and certification facility planned at the airport
- Aligarh currently stores about 6.5 lakh tonnes of potatoes across 126 cold stores
Local shipments and pilot exports
Aligarh-based Agri Shine Farmer Producer Company has already begun exploring air shipments: the company recently dispatched a 12-quintal potato consignment to Bahrain routed through Lucknow, and a larger consignment of about 30 tonnes of Fry Sona and Fry Home variety potatoes is being readied, according to reports on the initiative. The proposed airport infrastructure could allow such consignments to move directly through Jewar, shortening transit times and reducing logistical complexity.
State plans for an agricultural export hub near Jewar have been previously signalled under the UP AGREES project, which focuses on strengthening global market access for selected farm products. The current proposal for potato-focused processing and certification at Jewar forms part of that larger effort to integrate farm clusters with international value chains.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Proposed hub area | 50 acres |
| Aligarh potato storage | 6.5 lakh tonnes across 126 cold stores |
| Target export regions | West Asia, Europe, Russia |
Implications for farmers and exporters
For Aligarh’s farmers and FPOs, the proposed facilities at Jewar could lower costs associated with multi-city coordination for testing, certification and radiation treatment required for some export markets. Shorter supply chains may also reduce post-harvest losses and improve the competitiveness of Aligarh potatoes in price-sensitive overseas markets.
However, the scale of benefit will depend on final approvals, implementation timelines and the degree to which cold-chain linkages and transport corridors between Aligarh and Jewar are upgraded. Capacity at the planned hub — in terms of processing throughput and certified handling for perishable consignments — will determine how much of Aligarh’s existing stored crop can be channelled into exports without disrupting domestic supply and prices.
The move is part of a broader state push to connect agricultural production centres with international buyers. Officials and development agencies have so far outlined infrastructure components and target geographies, but detailed operational plans, including tariff structures, terminal handling charges and the role of private exporters and FPOs in hub management, are yet to be made public in reports about the proposal.
If realised, the Jewar export hub and its potato-specific facilities would mark a significant logistical convenience for Aligarh’s sizable potato sector and could help the district tap higher-value overseas markets while reducing the current reliance on distant airports for export consignments.
