In a significant step towards fostering agribusiness innovation, the ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (ICAR-CCRI), Nagpur has initiated an incubation program under its CitriHub—Agribusiness Incubation Centre. This initiative aims to support and mentor three emerging food entrepreneurs from Manipur: Hanjabam Ranita Devi, Catherine Soyamphi AS, and James Khongbantabam. The program offers hands-on training and technological guidance in citrus-based food processing, value addition, and product development, equipping these entrepreneurs with the necessary skills to enhance the commercial viability of citrus products.
The CitriHub's mission is to improve the well-being of citrus stakeholders by developing innovative citrus-based products and services through technology commercialization and entrepreneurship development. This aligns with the broader goal of fostering agripartnerships and innovation in citriculture by creating entrepreneurial ecosystems for current and future entrepreneurs.
The Agribusiness Incubation Centre provides mentorship during the incubation period, assisting in ideation, product development, pilot-scale testing, and validation based on feedback from beta customers. Additionally, it offers guidance in registration and certification processes, such as Udyam Aadhaar and FSSAI, and supports capacity building and skill development through well-equipped laboratories and farm infrastructure.
Dr. Dilip Ghosh, Director of ICAR-CCRI, highlighted that this initiative is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICAR-CCRI and the Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur. The MoU aims to foster 'citripreneurship' in the state, reinforcing ICAR-CCRI’s commitment to empowering Northeast India’s agribusiness sector and promoting sustainable entrepreneurship in citrus processing. Dr. Ghosh encouraged aspiring citripreneurs and startups across India to leverage the agribusiness incubation services offered under CitriHub.
India stands as the third-largest citrus producer globally, following China and Brazil, contributing approximately 7-8% of the world's citrus production. Despite this substantial production, the citrus processing industry in India remains underdeveloped, with a significant portion of produce consumed fresh and minimal value addition. This scenario underscores the importance of initiatives like CitriHub, which aim to bridge the gap between production and processing, thereby enhancing the economic value of citrus fruits.
The CitriHub initiative is not limited to Manipur; it has also fostered 'citrus nurserypreneurs' from Jharkhand and Rajasthan, focusing on citrus nursery management and nurserypreneurship.
By providing technological and business mentoring, capacity building, funding facilitation, and intellectual property management, CitriHub is paving the way for a new generation of agripreneurs. Such initiatives are crucial for transforming India's citrus industry, promoting value addition, and ensuring that entrepreneurs are well-equipped to scale and sustain their ventures in a competitive market.
