Additional Value Research Articles

Agricultural trade deficit and its impact on Nepalese economy: A comprehensive review

International trade is essential for a country’s economic development and modernization, driven by the dynamics of imports and exports. This review comprehensively examines Nepal’s trade deficit and its impact on the national economy. Nepal’s trade landscape is characterized by a significant imbalance, with imports consistently surpassing exports, as evidenced by an import-to-export ratio of 10.26 in the fiscal year 2022/23. This trade deficit has profound implications for national income, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, inflation rates, and foreign exchange reserves. This review identifies key factors contributing to the trade deficit, including geographical constraints, limited export diversification, heavy reliance on imports, infrastructural deficiencies, insufficient promotion and advertisement, political instability, low productivity, and dependency on remittances. This study underscores the critical need for export diversification as a strategy for mitigating trade deficits. Developing sectors with high potential such as tourism, information technology, hydropower, and organic farming are essential. Additionally, improving the quality and value addition of exported goods, expanding market access through proactive trade diplomacy, and supporting small and medium enterprises are highlighted as necessary measures. This study also emphasizes the importance of substantial investments in infrastructure, education, and skill development to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Promoting a national brand and leveraging digital marketing platforms can boost Nepal’s export profile. Sound monetary policies and a stable economic environment are crucial for addressing the adverse effects of exchange rate volatility and inflation. Political stability and a conducive business environment are vital to fostering long-term economic growth. The effective utilization of remittances through productive investments and reducing dependency on external aid are pivotal for achieving sustainable development. Through coordinated efforts across various sectors, Nepal can work towards reducing its trade deficit, enhancing economic stability, and achieving sustainable economic growth.

Cinnamon oil value addition in natural rubber latex‐organic peroxide vulcanization system

AbstractNatural rubber is a sustainable material which plays a vital role in a wide variety of applications. Value additions to this natural material enhance its horizons of utilization and encompass multiple advantages. This endeavor focuses on elevating the properties of the natural rubber latex (NRL)‐dicumyl peroxide vulcanization system with the utilization of cinnamon oil (CIN‐OIL). CIN‐OIL was characterized by GCMS, FTIR, and UV–Vis. The FTIR and TGA have confirmed the incorporation of the CIN‐OIL into the NRL. Swelling studies confirmed that the addition of CIN‐OIL has not interfered with the process of peroxy crosslinking. The adhesive peel test and facial tissue test clearly concluded that CIN‐OIL has reduced the initial tackiness of the material which is apparent in peroxy NR vulcanizates. Tear strength and modulus values were increased with CIN‐OIL due to the formation of physical crosslinking. Weathering tests confirmed the higher degradability of the CIN‐OIL‐added NRL samples. Furthermore, films were tested positive for antibacterial activity against both gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. Along with the enhanced degradability, antibacterial activity, reduced initial tackiness, and enhanced mechanical properties, CIN‐OIL in NRL has enriched its qualities.

Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Precision Agriculture: A Pathway to Improved Efficiency and Economic Outcomes in Crop Production

This review analyzes secondary data from academic databases, research articles, and case studies to explore the role of new technologies for precision agriculture (PA) and investigates the value addition that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) provide to resource use, crop yield, and economic performance. Accordingly, the most of the key applications of AI in PA were related to crop yield prediction, disease detection, and effective water usage. Operating models through AI will analyze much data in real time, thus providing insight into informed decision making by farmers for proactive action against crop challenges like drought or pest attack. Furthermore, IoT devices and remote sensing support continuous monitoring in the delivery of correct data about optimizations of resources with minimal environmental impact. AI-driven robotics further automates all tasks related to planting, harvesting, and pesticide application, improving labor productivity and operational efficiency. This would involve in other issues like implementation costs, data privacy, and general unawareness among farmers of developing areas. Equally important will be ethical issues like ownership of data and loss of jobs. Various case studies in India, China, the United States, and Africa reveal how AI could transform the future of agriculture if integrated into agricultural systems properly to gain higher productivity and sustainability. Improvements in data quality and ethical issues, and increased access by smallholder farmers, will also be part of future research. Eventually, integrating AI with IoT, robotics, and big data analytics could provide high potential to meet global food demand in a sustainable manner.

Place-based regional planning: shaping governance, planning policy and practices in a South African region, 1994–2022

ABSTRACT The governance of regions is activated through actors and institutions representing diverse interests. Using place-based planning, this paper reviews local planning in South Africa drawing upon a case study of the iLembe District. We argue that region building is constructed through economic and political forces, currently blocked by poor relationships between the state, civil society, business, and inter-governmental complexities. The study uses empirical evidence on the regional conditions of the iLembe District and associated municipalities, reviews of planning documents and legislation, and interviews with key stakeholders. The authors argue that the local planning framework is ineffectual, lacking strategic direction, and primarily servicing provincial and nationally derived compliance requirements, rather than meeting strategic developmental objectives. Most recently, the global pandemic emphasized interlinked vulnerabilities and weak linkages associated with globalisation and sustainable development, particularly with global supply and value chains, health systems, settlement patterns, energy production and food security. We argue for a new form of collaborative regional planning and governance framework which could be laid through a “learning region” approach as identified in the place-based literature. An example is unlocking green energy production as a value addition to the established but crisis-laden sugar industry in the case study.

Processing, Value Addition and Post-Harvest Technology of Tomato: A Scoping Review on Global and Indian Perspective

India, with its favorable climatic conditions, is a major producer of tomatoes, ranking second globally. However, the tomato processing sector in India is underdeveloped, with only 1% of the produce being processed compared to developed nations such as Italy (64.02%), Spain (39.41%) and the United States (10.34%). Of the more than 180 million tonnes of tomatoes produced annually, around 40 million tonnes are processed. India's substantial tomato output, which occurs primarily in the winter, has made it a prominent participant in the global tomato processing industry. This would help the Indian market utilize tomato-based goods throughout the off-season. Lycopene, a beneficial compound, is found to be higher in processed tomato products compared to fresh tomatoes. Prominent companies in the Indian tomato processing industry include Hindustan Unilever, Nestle India, Mother Dairy, and Dabur India. Despite the potential, the sector faces challenges such as inadequate processing facilities and limited varieties suitable for processing, leading to substantial post-harvest losses. The demand for tomato-processed products in India has been increasing at 30% annually in recent years, with a rising variety of products being offered. Increased support, improved supply chain management, and adoption of advanced processing techniques could reduce wastage, add value, and enable India to become a prominent player in the global tomato processing industry. With the adoption of modern technologies such as automated sorting, grading, and cold storage facilities, the efficiency of the tomato processing industry can improve. This would reduce post-harvest losses and ensure better quality control.

Analysing Knowledge Gain in Women Farmers: Insights from Tuber Crop Cultivation Training

Aims: This study aimed to assess the knowledge gain of women farmers participating in a training program on tuber crop cultivation in Thrissur district, Kerala. The training focused on improving their understanding of key agricultural practices related to crops such as cassava, elephant foot yam, coleus, and sweet potatoes. Study Design: Ex post facto design. Place and Duration of Study: The training was organized and conducted by the Center for Gender Studies in Agriculture and Farm Entrepreneurship Development, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala on March 2024. Methodology: A total of 50 women farmers were randomly selected from various panchayats in the Thrissur district to attend the training. A pre- and post-training evaluation was conducted using a structured questionnaire comprising 15 questions, covering topics such as variety selection, soil fertility management, pest and disease control, and post-harvest value addition, and so on. Using grapesAgri1 in R Studio 4.3.1 software, the data were analysed using statistical methods like frequency, percentage, t-test and coefficient of correlation. Results: Pre- and post-training knowledge scores were calculated and analysed using simple percentage formulas to assess knowledge gain. The study revealed a significant improvement in participants' knowledge post-training. The overall average pre-training knowledge score was 9.67 out of 50 (19.34%), while the average post-training score increased to 41.53 out of 50 (83.06%). T-test was also employed to compare the mean of pre-test and post-test evaluation. The percentage of knowledge gain in the pre-training and post-training evaluation were correlated with the independent variables such as age, education, family size, category and information source utilization. The results of correlation revealed that the independent variable such as age (X1), Education (X2), Category (X3) and farm size (X4) are negatively correlated and information source (X5) was positively correlated with the dependent variable. Conclusion: The training program effectively enhanced the knowledge of women farmers in key aspects of tuber crop cultivation, contributing to improved agricultural practices and the potential for increased productivity.

Potential of silk proteins in cosmetics

Synthetic and inorganic chemical ingredients in cosmetic products pose serious health impacts on skin and hair. Much emphasis has been laid on the development of cost-effective, eco-friendly and user-friendly cosmetic products from time to time. Manufacturing cosmetics using natural ingredients is considered as a viable alternative to overcome the side effects of synthetics. Silk is a natural biopolymer obtained from cocoons of sericigenous insects like silkworms. It constitutes two proteins, viz., fibroin and sericin. Fibroin is the central core protein glued with sericin protein forming silken cocoons together. Both the proteins possess remarkable attributes viz, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-tyrosinase activity, efficient UV resistance, kinase activity, excellent release and absorption of moisture. The silk protein attributes are advantageous for body skin, hair and nails. It possesses a wide range of cosmetic applications such as facilitation of hair growth, improvement in softening and lustre of hair, rejuvenation of body and skin cells, UVB protection, prevention of chapping and brittleness of nails, and skin brightening. Due to its low molecular weight, easily penetrates the hair strands and skin cells, binds the keratin in hair and forms a protective layer to prevent moisture loss. A wide range of products have been developed for use in cosmetics viz., SILKPRO, SILKALL, SILKPRO 1000. These products are used as natural ingredients due to their potent applications in cosmetics. The cosmetic industry can be developed by proper utilization of silk in its organic products while promoting value addition to sericulture industry.

Sectoral value addition and its impact on economic growth in Saudi Arabia: An ARDL approach

Saudi Arabia is working to reduce its reliance on oil by diversifying its economy, making it important to understand how different sectors contribute to GDP growth. This research explores the connection between sectoral value addition and economic growth in Saudi Arabia, using data from 1980 to 2022. The aim is to identify which sectors can support long-term economic growth in line with the goals of Vision 2030. The study uses the autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) model to analyze the yearly growth rates of value addition in different sectors and their impact on GDP growth. The results show that the construction, mining, services, and financial sectors have a positive and significant effect on economic growth. These findings highlight key sectors that influence GDP growth, suggesting that targeted investments and policy measures in these areas could strengthen economic stability and sustainability. The study emphasizes the need to promote growth in a variety of sectors to meet the broader economic aims of Vision 2030.

Export Potential of Fruits for Boosting Secondary Agriculture in India

This study examined the export dynamics of major fruits and their processed products, employing the Markov Chain Technique to assess trade patterns and pinpoint promising export markets. The analysis underscored the growth potential in secondary agriculture, particularly through value addition. In 2022-23, fresh fruit exports generated ₹5,658.9 crore, while processed fruit exports amounted to ₹5,944.49 crore, with respective compound annual growth rates of 16.31 and 13.62 per cent over the past two decades. The importance of value addition was evident in the substantial export revenue from processed mango products, which brought in ₹2,937.17 crore compared to ₹378.49 crore for fresh mangoes alone. Key stable markets for processed mangoes include the U.K., Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia, while the UAE served as a crucial market for both fresh and processed mangoes. Fresh grapes also contributed significantly to exports, earning ₹2543.42 crore with an impressive growth rate of 18.58 per cent; primary export markets for grapes include the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and the UAE. Overall, secondary agriculture presents significant untapped potential for processed products, offering valuable opportunities to improve farmers' livelihoods.

Unlocking Potential: Evaluating Nepal's Cooperative-Backed Vegetable Value Chain

Cooperatives play a vital role in rural and agricultural development within value chains. They employ 279 million worldwide, and the top 300 earned $2.1 trillion in 2019, ranking as the 10th largest economy if considered a country. The study examines the current state of the vegetable value chain, the involvement of cooperatives, factors influencing value addition, and the challenges cooperatives encounter within the vegetable value chain. The research utilized structured questionnaires to gather data from 183 participants, comprising 164 farmers, 10 traders, and 9 cooperative members in Nepal's Siraha and Saptari districts. The collected data underwent analysis using a binary logistic regression model. The study found that there is no proper vertical and horizontal linkage among the chain actors. Cooperatives are good at facilitating access to credit, input, and training but their involvement in both input supply and credit services is limited. Among the 31 variables included in the logistic regression, 14 were deemed statistically significant. Particularly, the age of farmers, their off-farm income, access to information, and access to inputs could be instrumental to value addition in the VVC. The study suggests that early-stage co-innovative and collaborative value chains, with better input supply, business planning, and cooperative autonomy, can boost VVC profitability and sustainability. Partnerships and a standard code of conduct among chain actors and cooperatives can further enhance trust and innovation.

Empowering Women through Sericulture: Transforming Defective Cocoons into Opportunities

In South Asia, particularly India, women face significant challenges stemming from gender discrimination, poverty, and caste-based inequalities. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as a pivotal approach to women's empowerment, promoting both economic independence and social awareness. This review paper explores the role of sericulture, specifically the crafting of handicrafts from silk cocoons, as a means of enhancing women's livelihoods in rural areas. By utilizing cut and pierced cocoons, artisans can create a diverse array of decorative and functional products, contributing to both personal income and community development. This innovative use of by- products in handicrafts not only fosters creativity but also promotes self-employment, allowing marginalized women to gain economic agency. Moreover, engaging in cocoon crafting serves as a therapeutic activity, improving mental well-being and providing a sense of purpose. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating bio-crafts into the broader sericulture industry. This integration not only enhances sustainability by making use of waste materials but also provides a reliable income stream for women and their families. The potential for value addition through skilled craftsmanship transforms what would otherwise be discarded into valuable products, contributing to the local economy. Ultimately, these initiatives improve women's economic status and contribute to their social empowerment, offering a multifaceted solution to entrenched gender inequalities in South Asia. By equipping women with skills and resources, fostering community support, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices, the crafting of silk cocoon handicrafts exemplifies a holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by women in rural areas. Through this innovative model, women can achieve greater independence, enhance their social standing, and participate actively in their communities, paving the way for a more equitable and empowered society.

Palmyra and coconut haustorium: A comprehensive review on nutritional composition, bioactive potential, value-added products and its health benefits

The various parts of the palmyra and coconut trees which are widely distributed in the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent have been studied and utilized for many years. These contain a white and spongy edible component in them which is found during the germination of the seeds called haustorium. The palmyra and coconut trees each have different sections with special medical properties. Recently, the haustorium of both coconut and palmyra trees has been gaining increased attention from researchers due to its nutritional properties. Certain studies on the haustoria have revealed the presence of various compounds that are beneficial for human health. The bioactive compounds found in the previous studies include phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, pyrimidine groups and certain vitamins which act as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-mutagenic agents. This review focuses on comparing the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, sugar profile fatty acid profile, amino acid profile, minerals, and vitamins of both palmyra and coconut haustorium. This review also reports on the value addition of the haustoria as usually they are consumed in their raw form. These value-added products not only enhance the economic viability of these underutilized resources but also contribute to extending their shelf life, making them more accessible in the market. Also, this review emphasizes the haustorium's potential defence against negative consequences. Therefore, this review paper helps in understanding the palmyra and coconut haustorium and its potential health benefits.

Enhancing Income for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) through Ginger Value Addition: Opportunities, Strategies and Market Insights

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the most valuable spices globally, known for its culinary, medicinal, and industrial uses. As a primary cash crop in many regions, it offers substantial income opportunities for smallholder farmers. However, the traditional farming and marketing methods often limit the potential earnings of smallholder farmers. This review explores the concept of value addition in ginger, focussing on post-harvest processing, product diversification, packaging innovations, and market expansion strategies. It further highlights how Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) can leverage these techniques to improve profitability and sustainability. The paper also discusses the challenges faced by FPOs, such as financial constraints and market access barriers, while highlighting opportunities supported by government policies and technological advancements. Advanced processing techniques, improved package, branding, and exploring new markets would achieve profitability and sustainability of FPOs. The reduction of value chain and directly paying to the farmers give opportunity to the consumers to get the ginger products at better prices.

Exploring value relevance of EVA over different stages of business lifecycle

Purpose This study aims to determine whether the financial ecosystem is reliable for evaluating a company’s financial performance at various lifecycle stages or whether value-based performance metrics like Economic Value Added (EVA) are the most comprehensive indicators regardless of the company’s lifecycle stage. The evaluation will analyse the importance of value-based and accounting performance benchmarks (EVA, Return on Capital Employed, Return on Equity and Earnings per Share) in creating shareholder value, as measured by market value added, throughout the company’s lifecycle. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a robust empirical analysis of 228 Indian firms listed on the National Stock Exchange Nifty 500 Index from 2006 to 2023. By considering firms of different sizes and ages, the authors aim to capture and analyse any distinct impact across various stages of their lifecycles. Using quantile regression for analysis equips the authors to effectively address extreme events such as the 2008 global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, making the method particularly suitable for conditionally distributed samples based on size and age. Findings The research reveals that various performance indicators are crucial at different stages of a company’s lifecycle for generating wealth for shareholders. However, considering the significance of the EVA measure, it is recommended that policymakers standardize the calculation of EVA and mandate its disclosure. Originality/value The authors comprehensively analysed the economic value addition relative to a company’s size and age, going beyond previous studies that focused solely on specific size categories. This offers managers valuable insights into aligning business performance measures with the various stages of the business lifecycle.

Value Chain Analysis of Apple in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh, India

The study sought to acquire extensive insights into the markets and associated marketing strategies within the Shimla district during the year 2021-22. Employing a random sampling technique, a representative sample comprising five traders, five wholesalers, five retailers, and thirty actively engaged consumers in the apple marketing sector was selected. The investigation identified the presence of five distinct marketing channels in the study area. Channel-V, which involves the processing of apples into value-added forms such as jam, wine, and juice, exhibited the most substantial degree of value addition, contributing 55.80 percent to the overall value addition. In the study area, the majority of farmers acquire their inputs from private institutes. A methodically prepared value chain map illustrates the continuous transfer of produce from farmers to consumers. Notably, the wholesale stage experienced the most significant loss, amounting to 4.11 kg per quintal. In the storage of apples, the storage unit gained a profit of 140 Rs per kg, while in the processing of apples, the processing unit it was 13333.59 Rs. per quintal.

Standardization of Recipes and Storage Behaviour of Value-Added Products from Knol-Khol (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes L.)

Knol-khol (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes L.) is one of the most important cruciferous vegetable crops which belongs to the family Brassicaceae. Knol-khol is a fast growing, cool season vegetable cultivated primarily for its enlarged stem called ‘knob’ which is rich in nutritional components, especially vitamin A, C, minerals and is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron and sodium. To exploit its high nutritional as well as antioxidant properties and also to ensure its year around availability, it needs value addition. Therefore, in the current investigation, value added products viz., nectar and squash were prepared from Knol-khol. Four recipes of prepared nectar and squash were subjected to physico-chemical and sensory evaluation soon after preparation and at 90 days of storage. During the storage, a slight increase in pH, TSS and total sugars, a considerable rise in reducing sugars, but a slight decrease in acidity and also a considerable decrease in non-reducing sugars and ascorbic acid was recorded in various treatments of nectar and squash. The treatments K2N2 (15% pulp, 15˚B), and K1T2 (25% pulp, 45˚B TSS) among different recipes of nectar and squash respectively were found to be the best on the basis of their physico-chemical and organoleptic evaluation. These findings suggest that specific compositional parameters significantly influence the quality and acceptability of fruit-based beverages during storage.

The effect of pine honey on the viability of probiotics and some properties of probiotic yogurt

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of pine honey on the viability of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5®️ and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12®️) and some properties of probiotic yogurts. The non-fat dry matter of milk used in yogurt production is standardized to 11%. Milk is divided into 3 groups (A, B, and C). A, B, and C milk groups were inoculated with yogurt culture, yogurt culture + L. acidophilus LA-5 and yogurt culture + B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 respectively. Each 3 groups of milk are divided into 3 parts. While pine honey was not added to the first part (control group), 5% pine honey was added to the second part and 7% pine honey to the third part of the milk. Produced yogurt samples were stored at +4 °C for 21 days and physico-chemical, structural, microbiological, and sensory analyzes were performed on the 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st days of storage. According to the results obtained in the study, with the addition of pine honey, hardness and viscosity values of yogurt samples decreased, while water holding capacity values increased. Also, pine honey addition did not have a significant effect on L. acidophilus LA-5 viability, however, the addition of 7% pine honey statistically significantly increased the viability of B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. Also, taste scores of yogurts containing probiotic cultures are lower than those of the control group yogurt in sensory analysis. It was determined that the odor, consistency and color scores of the samples were close to each other. Keywords: Pine Honey; yogurt; prebiotic; probiotic; viscosity

Thermal modification of Lantana camara stalks and its characterization

Abstract This paper deals with value addition and utilization of Lantana camara, an invasive species with unprecedented rate of growth, by thermal modification. Lantana camara stalks were thermally modified using vacuum heat treatment (VHT), oil heat treatment (OHT), and steam heat treatment (SHT) at 180 °C and 200 °C and subsequently changes in physical, chemical and mechanical properties were studied. Weight loss was observed in vacuum and steam heat treated samples due to thermal degradation while oil heat treated samples showed weight gain due to oil uptake. SHT exhibited the highest (19 %) weight loss at 200 °C. The color of the modified lantana attained uniform dark colour, OHT exhibited the most intense effect on colour changes. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Fourier transform near infrared (FTNIR) spectroscopic analyses indicated degradation of hemicellulose and change in cellulose crystallinity due to heat treatment. Dimensional stability of thermally modified Lantana stalks improved across treatments, with SHT achieving the highest anti-swelling efficiency of 67.3 % at 200 °C and lowest water absorption (43 %) after 72 h of water soaking. The dynamic modulus of elasticity of thermally modified Lantana remained constant in all the treatment processes. Overall, the results indicate that thermal modification can increase utilization potential of L. camara.

How green strategies and policies influence production‐based emissions, industrial development and sustainable development goals?

AbstractSustainable development is a global imperative; however, it is unattainable without a transformation of the production sector. Therefore, the study examines the impact of green strategies [Industrial innovation, Eco‐tech imports‐IMPT, and Green finances‐GFN] and policy interventions [Environmental policy‐EPY and Environmental taxes‐ETX] on production‐based emissions (PBE), industrial value addition (IVA), and sustainable development goals (SDG). The study covers the years 1990–2022 and focuses on 25 European nations. In addition, the pooled mean grouped (PMG)‐ARDL and mean group (MG) techniques were used to assess the short‐ and long‐term parameters. The country‐specific relationships are evaluated using the Bootstrap Granger Causality test. The results affirm that green strategies and policy interventions mitigated PBE and increased the IVA and SDG in Europe. However, globalization and energy use increase the PBE and IVA while impeding progress toward the SDGs. The mitigation technologies fueled with green energy (MPRE) came out as the ultimate solution, which requires green technologies and sustainable practices across all sectors. Therefore, it is suggested that governments implement eco‐friendly policies that boost GFN, reduce pollution, increase green output, and meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

Agribusiness Prospects of Kachai Lemon Produced in Ukhrul District of Manipur, India: Status, Issues and Way Forward

Kachai lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) is a variety of citrus, known for its rich nutritional and medicinal benefits due to its high flavonoid content and ascorbic acid. It has played a significant role in enhancing the socio-economic development of the tribal communities by generating income and employment opportunities. The Geographical Indication (GI) tag awarded to Kachai lemon has increased its commercial cultivation and market value. This recognition and growing attention have led to the emergence of agripreneurs and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) for production, value addition and marketing of Kachai lemon in an organized manner. The present study is aimed to compile the success stories, challenges of farmers and explore various Kachai lemon brands available on online platforms. A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis on production and marketing of kachai lemon was performed. For the study, descriptive analysis was carried out to assess its potential, current status and challenges. The study suggests that in order to compete globally, it is crucial to develop strong post-harvest processing and marketing systems with support from agencies and institutions to provide valuable resources and market linkages to enhance efficiency and gain economic benefits.