PRAYAGRAJ, Feb. 23 -- The Prayagraj division has recorded a twelvefold increase in revenue from agricultural exports over the past three years, reflecting a significant shift in farmers' outlook and market reach, officials said on Saturday. According to official data, farmers in the four districts of the Prayagraj division-Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, and Fatehpur-who previously focused solely on local mandis, are now sending their produce to international markets, including Europe and the Gulf countries, officials added. This shift has been driven by improved coordination between exporters and farmers, coupled with increasing awareness among cultivators about opportunities in global markets. The numbers indicate a sharp rise in exports. In 2023-24, just 1,129 metric tonnes of agricultural produce were shipped abroad, generating Rs.6 crore. The following year, 2024-25, exports increased to 6,296.66 metric tonnes valued at Rs.26.54 crore. In the current financial year, up to January, the volume has surged to 18,125 metric tonnes, bringing in Rs.73.12 crore for farmers, said Dinesh Chandra, Assistant Agricultural Marketing Officer of the Prayagraj Division. More than half a dozen agricultural products from the Prayagraj division have established their identity in exports. In the current financial year, 22.512 metric tons of Aonla (Indian gooseberry) and its processed products were exported from Pratapgarh district, valued at Rs.0.33 crore. Mahesh Tiwari, an aonla-growing farmer associated with the Belkhar Nath Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) in Pratapgarh, said the development was made possible through stronger coordination between exporters and farmers. He added that aonla products have recorded the highest demand in markets such as Canada and the UK. From Kaushambi, 55.1 metric tons of green chilies were exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) including Dubai. Similarly, 31.3 metric tons were exported from Prayagraj. Umesh Patel, a bhindi (okra) exporting farmer from Hanumanganj in Prayagraj, said there is the highest demand for fresh local okra in Sharjah and Dubai in the UAE. Likewise, 398 metric tons of groundnuts (peanuts) were exported to Bangladesh from Fatehpur and Prayagraj. Among agricultural products, the highest export from Pratapgarh was rice-17,618 metric tons-which was sent to the UK and Dubai, data shows....