Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 11 (ANI): North Gujarat's strengths in agriculture, dairy, and food processing will be showcased at the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), North Gujarat (Mehsana), scheduled for October 9-10, 2025, a release from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

The two-day event will include seminars and networking opportunities. On October 9, the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department of the Government of Gujarat will host a seminar titled 'Soil to Shelf: Integrating Sustainability and Profitability Across the Value Chain.'

On October 10, another seminar, 'Agri-Tech to Agri-Wealth: Transforming Agriculture Through Technology', will highlight innovations shaping the future of farming.

According to the release, under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, Aravalli district is considered for potato-based products such as French fries and flakes and starch-less (sugar-free) potatoes offer a competitive export edge. In 2024-25, from the Aravalli district, potatoes are exported to 12 countries, including Oman, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait, UAE, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bahrain, Qatar, Angola and Sri Lanka.

The district is also an iconic site for organic spice and powder processing, supported by fennel, fenugreek, and turmeric cultivation.

Banaskantha district is Gujarat's largest potato producer, and leads the state's agro and dairy sectors. Banaskantha ranks first in the state with 18.70 lakhs tonnes of potato production in 2024-25.

It has a strong foundational base for frozen and dehydrated potato products. The district contributes to India's global leadership in psyllium husk (Isabgol), with over 93 per cent of output exported. Isabgol is exported to 88 countries from pan-Gujarat, out of which in 79 countries, Isabgol is exported from North Gujarat.

Dairy is another pillar, uplifted by Banas Dairy, the largest in India, supported by over 1,600 societies and 3 lakh farmers, the press release said.

Mehsana city has emerged as a key hub for agro and food processing, high-quality spices, dairy, and value-added agriculture. The renowned Unjha market yard offers a natural edge for processing cumin, fennel, and other organic spices. Dudhsagar Dairy enables large-scale production of milk, ghee, butter, and cheese. The gradual rise in castor and groundnut production further strengthens opportunities for oil mills and allied industries.

The food products like Carrot (Patan), fennel (Chanasma) and Cumin (Sami, Radhanpur and Santalpur) provide a high base for processing. Rising oilseed output in mustard, castor, and groundnut expands opportunities in oil milling and allied industries. Mehsana supports potato and carrot processing.

As per the release, Sabarkantha city is fast emerging as a hub for agro and food processing, backed by a robust agricultural ecosystem and dairy strength. Sabar Dairy operates at 33.53 lakh litres of milk per day.

Also, potato and organic spice cultivation continue to expand export opportunities. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) highlighted demand for over 58 lakh metric tonnes of storage. The district has ample amount of potential as an infrastructure investment for investors. (ANI)