Walmart Deepens Engagement Across Andhra Pradesh’s MSME, Export and Farming Ecosystems

Amara Deepa, Director, Walmart Sourcing; Shri Neelapu Vijayanand Reddy, Director, APMSME; Dr. S. Senthil Vinayagam, Director, Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM); Ms. Vaghira Jonnada, Founder, Women Entrepreneurs Society; Shri V.S. Jayasankar, Postmaster General, Visakhapatnam Postal Region; Nitin Prasad, Vice-President, Walmart Sourcing; Shri Kondapalli Srinivas, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and NRI Relations & Empowerment, Government of Andhra Pradesh; Parul Soni, President, Ideas to Impact Foundation; Dr. Trinadh Madabattula, Secretary, Visakhapatnam Zone, AP Chambers; Shri Andukuri Sudhakar, Executive Director, APMSMEDC; Kavitha Rajesh, Regional President – South Asia, ABWCI; Secretary, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development; and Joint Secretary, ALEAP; and Sridevi Kalavakolanu, Senior Director, Walmart Sourcing. Walmart Vriddhi MSME Connect Visakhapatnam 2026 brought together government, industry and entrepreneurs to advance digital commerce, access to finance and market readiness Walmart Sourcing engages suppliers across categories including pharmaceuticals and seafood, while advancing responsible sourcing and supply-chain practices Walmart Marketplace creates pathways for eligible Indian businesses to reach customers across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Chile Walmart Foundation has supported over 160,000 farmers and over 70 FPOs across 10 districts in Andhra Pradesh VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh, September 28, 2026: Walmart hosted the Walmart Vriddhi MSME Connect Visakhapatnam 2026 on September 26, in partnership with Ideas to Impact Foundation (i2i). The event brought together entrepreneurs and representatives from the Andhra Pradesh MSME Development Corporation, AP Chamber of Commerce and Industry Federation, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Women Entrepreneurs Society, Walmart, Flipkart, and the wider MSME ecosystem. Sessions focused on practical pathways for MSME growth, including digital commerce, cross-border trade, access to finance, government resources and market readiness. They offered participating businesses perspectives on the capabilities and connections needed to prepare for their next stage of growth. Shri Kondapalli Srinivas, Hon’ble Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said, “Through the Andhra Pradesh MSME and Entrepreneurship Development Policy 2024–29, and initiatives such as ‘One Family, One Entrepreneur’, the government is working to strengthen MSMEs through better access to finance, technology and markets. The Government is also developing 175 MSME Parks, one in each Assembly constituency, alongside the Chief Minister’s Entrepreneur Programme and Cluster Development Programme. Initiatives such as Walmart Vriddhi can complement these priorities by bringing practical capabilities and market connections closer to entrepreneurs and supporting MSMEs to scale. Walmart’s broader engagement in Andhra Pradesh Beyond the event, Walmart’s engagement in Andhra Pradesh extends across MSME capability-building, sourcing, cross-border eCommerce and Walmart Foundation-supported programs focused on smallholder farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). Paul Dyck, Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Walmart, said, “Andhra Pradesh’s entrepreneurs, suppliers, exporters and farming communities each contribute to the state’s growth in distinct ways. Our focus is on connecting them with the capabilities, markets and partnerships that can help them scale. By bringing together the full breadth of Walmart and working with local partners, we aim to support more competitive businesses, stronger livelihoods and inclusive, long-term growth across the state.” Walmart Sourcing works with Indian suppliers across categories including seafood, pharmaceuticals, apparel and automotive parts. In Andhra Pradesh, it engages with stakeholders in the state’s seafood ecosystem, including through the Seafood Task Force, to help advance responsible sourcing and supply-chain practices. With Walmart Marketplace, sellers can reach customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Chile through Walmart’s eCommerce platforms. In the U.S. last quarter, Marketplace sales grew 52% year-over-year. Together with capability-building initiatives such as Walmart Vriddhi, this creates an additional pathway for export-ready businesses that seek to expand in international eCommerce. Walmart Foundation-supported programs in Andhra Pradesh are strengthening smallholder farmer livelihoods, FPOs, market access and climate resilience. This work has supported over 70 FPOs and over 160,000 farmers across 10 districts through capacity-building, digital and agronomic advisory, market linkages and access to finance.