Agricultural, processed food exports up 14% in Apr-June

India’s agricultural and processed food product exports have increased by 14 per cent to $5.987 billion in the first three months – April to June – of the current fiscal 2022-23, as compared to the same period in FY2021-22, stated the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on Sunday.

The ministry said that it had a target of $23.56 billion for 2022-23 for agricultural and processed food products under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Out of this, 25.4 per cent have been achieved in the first three months, it added. “According to the Quick Estimates data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), the overall export of products under APEDA ambit (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) increased to USD 5987 million in April-June 2022 from USD 5256 million over the same period of the last fiscal. The export target for April-June 2022-23 was USD 5890 million. The APEDA basket excludes Tea, coffee, spices, cotton and marine exports,” the ministry said.

Exports of fresh fruits and vegetables saw an uptick of 8.6 per cent, while food products like cereals and miscellaneous processed items saw a growth of 36.4 per cent, compared to last year. In April-June 2021, fresh fruits and vegetable exports were at $642 million, while it increased to $697 million this fiscal. Cereals saw an export value of $237 million in April-June 2021, which has increased to $306 million this fiscal. Export of meat, dairy and poultry products increased 9.5 per cent from $1.023 billion in April-June 2021 to $1.120 billion in April-June 2022.

Exports of rice also saw a growth of 13 per cent, from $2.412 billion in April-June 2021 to $2.723 billion in April-June 2022. Dairy products saw exports to the tune of $1.120 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal.

“We continue to provide technical and financial assistance to various stakeholders in the agricultural goods value chains for boosting exports of unique products from the country. Through creating a necessary eco-system of exports along with collaboration with key stakeholders in the agri-exports value chains, we are aiming to sustain the growth in India’s agricultural and processed food exports in the current fiscal as well,” said APEDA Chairman M Angamuthu.

The government had taken various initiatives to drive exports, including organising B2B exhibitions in other countries, exploring new potential markets and marketing campaigns. The government also organised virtual buyer-seller meetings on agricultural and food products with the UAE and on GI products.