In terms of US$, the overall agricultural exports during April-August 2021 grew 21.8 percent over the same period last year, according to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.
Exports of APEDA products increased from USD 6,485 million in April-August 2020 to USD 7,902 million in April-August 2021.
Despite the Covid-19 restrictions, exports have risen. Exports of agricultural and processed food products have shot up during the first five months of the current fiscal, continuing the growth seen during the financial year 2020-21. As per the World Trade Organization’s trade map, India ranks 9th globally with the total agri-exports of 37 billion dollars in the year 2019.
| Product Head | April-August, 2020-21 | April-August, 2021-22 | % Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rs. Crore | US$ Million | Rs. Crore | US$ Million | US$ | |
| Fruits & vegetables | 7646 | 1013 | 7959 | 1075 | 6.1 |
| Cereal preparations & miscellaneous processed items | 4719 | 627 | 6579 | 889 | 41.9 |
| Meat, dairy & poultry products | 8921 | 1185 | 11493 | 1554 | 31.1 |
| Rice | 25335 | 3359 | 28269 | 3820 | 13.7 |
| Other cereals | 1177 | 157 | 2805 | 379 | 142.1 |
| Cashew | 1086 | 144 | 1372 | 185 | 28.5 |
| Total | 48,885 | 6,485 | 58,478 | 7,902 | 21.8 |
| Source: DGCIS, Quick Estimates for April-August 2021 | |||||
Trends in agricultural exports by crop
Rice exports increased by 13.7% in April-August 2021, from US$ 3,359 million in April-August 2020 to US$ 3,820 million in April-August 2021.
The exports of fruits and vegetables saw a growth of 6.1 per cent in terms of US$, while shipment of processed food items such as cereal preparations and miscellaneous processed items increased by 41.9 per cent. The amount of fresh fruits and vegetables exported during April-August 2020-21 was US$ 1,013 million, while the figure for April-August 2021-22 rose to US$ 1,075 million.
The export of other cereals jumped 142.1 percent while the export of meat, dairy, and poultry products increased by 31.1 percent in the first five months of the current fiscal year (2021-22).
During April-August 2020, exports of other cereals increased from US$157 million to US$379 million, while exports of meat, dairy and poultry products increased from US$ 1,185 million to US$ 1,554 million.
Over the period April-August 2021 there was a 28.5% increase in the cashew exports from USD 144 million in April-August 2020 to USD 185 million in April-August 2021.
Initiatives by APEDA to promote agricultural exports
At a time when most business activities in the country have suffered due to the restrictions imposed, APEDA, which functions under the Ministry of Commerce has enabled the country to achieve this milestone.
APEDA organizes B2B exhibitions in different countries as well as general marketing campaigns through active involvement of Indian embassies for the promotion of export of agricultural and processed food products.
As part of its efforts to promote agricultural and food products with registered geographical indications (GI), APEDA has also organized virtual buyer-seller meetings with the UAE and GI products to promote these products in India. As part of its initiative to popularize the GI products of major agricultural commodities exported, APEDA is conducting virtual buyer-seller meets (VBSM) with potential importing countries.
With a wide range of products and exporters, APEDA has certified 220 labs that provide seamless quality certification of export products.
Also, Apeda works with renowned laboratories to upgrade and strengthen their tests for exports as well as residue monitoring plans. For the purposes of enhancing agricultural exports, the APEDA also offers financial assistance to develop infrastructure, improve quality and develop markets.
Exporters can participate in APEDA-organized international trade fairs, providing them with a platform to market their products on an international market. In addition to organizing national events like AAHAR, Organic World Congress, BioFach India, the APEDA is also involved in several other activities to promote agricultural exports.
As part of its mission, APEDA will register packhouses for horticulture products that meet international quality standards. It is important for the EU and non-EU countries that the peanut shelling, grading, and processing units, for example, are registered so that quality is adhered to.
For food safety and quality, APEDA ensures plant and abattoir registration is in compliance with international standards. A second key initiative is to develop systems to verify the quality and safety of the food imported from importing countries. APEDA works to encourage exports by compiling and disseminating analytical data on international trade and information about market access.
