Gandhinagar: Gujarat is an integrated cooperative hub for the agricultural economy. 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 9–10 October 2025, an official press release said today.

The two-day event will include seminars and networking opportunities. On 9 October, the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare & 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 10 October, another seminar, “Agri-Tech to Agri-Wealth: Transforming Agriculture Through Technology,” will highlight innovations shaping the future of farming.

Under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, Aravalli district is focused on potato-based products such as French fries, flakes, and starch-less (sugar-free) potatoes, which offer a competitive export edge. In 2024-25, Aravalli exported potatoes to 12 countries: 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.

According to government data, Banaskantha district is Gujarat’s largest potato producer and leads the state’s agro and dairy sectors. Banaskantha ranked first in the state with 18.70 lakh tonnes of potato production in 2024-25. The district has a strong foundational base for frozen and dehydrated potato products. It contributes to India’s global leadership in psyllium husk (Isabgol), with over 93% of output exported. Isabgol is exported to 88 countries from across Gujarat, of which 79 countries are supplied from North Gujarat. Dairy is another pillar, uplifted by Banas Dairy, India’s largest, supported by over 1,600 societies and 3 lakh farmers.

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 provides 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.

Food products like carrots (Patan), fennel (Chanasma), and cumin (Sami, Radhanpur, and Santalpur) provide a strong base for processing. Rising oilseed output in mustard, castor, and groundnut expands opportunities in oil milling and allied industries. Mehsana also supports potato and carrot processing.

Sabarkantha city is rapidly emerging as a hub for agro and food processing, backed by a robust agricultural ecosystem and dairy strength. Sabar Dairy operates at a capacity of 33.53 lakh liters of milk per day. Potato and organic spice cultivation continue to expand export opportunities. With the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) highlighting demand for over 58 lakh metric tonnes of storage, the district offers ample potential for infrastructure investment.

The North Gujarat region offers a dynamic investment landscape in the agro, food processing, and dairy sectors, creating strong opportunities for expansion, the government note said. DeshGujarat