APEDA Flags Off Maiden Palmyra Jaggery Export to Bulgaria

A traditional sweetener from the Tamil Nadu countryside has found a buyer in eastern Europe. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, flagged off the first-ever export consignment of organic Palmyra jaggery powder on 15 October 2026. The shipment left Gobichettipalayam in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu for Varna in Bulgaria.

What was shipped

The consignment weighs 1.755 MT and carries both NPOP and European Union organic certification. The product, also called Palmyra Blossom Nectar, is drawn from the nectar of the Palmyra palm blossom. It is sold as an alternative to refined sugar and is described as carrying vitamins and minerals that refined sugar lacks. The cargo travels by sea through Chennai Port.

Who is involved

The powder was made and exported by M/s Wellbeing Foods of Erode, working with M/s Chetty Exports Private Limited of Chennai. The buyer and distributor at the other end is M/s Sow Life Ltd of Bulgaria. APEDA Chairman Shri Abhishek Dev flagged off the consignment, and APEDA Secretary Dr Saswati Bose was present along with senior officials, company representatives, overseas partners and farmers associated with the value chain.

What it means for farmers

The initiative draws on 137 acres under organic cultivation. Growers are reported to earn roughly 15 to 22 per cent more than they would in the domestic market, while the manufacturer gains about 17 per cent more. That margin is the point of the exercise: it turns a local crop into an export-grade product and gives farmers a reason to stay with organic practice.

Why the shipment matters

India's organic export basket has long leaned on rice, tea, spices and oilseeds. A Palmyra-based sweetener widens that basket and opens a market where the product was not sold before. The Palmyra palm has been part of the agricultural and cultural landscape of Tamil Nadu for generations, and the shipment shows how a product tied to one region can be certified, packaged and sent abroad. APEDA's role here is the familiar one it plays across agricultural exports: market development, quality compliance and matching Indian producers with overseas buyers.