A 12 per cent increase in the export of major agriculture and processed products during the first three quarters of the current fiscal has buoyed the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to target a record $26-29 billion in this fiscal, against $24.76 billion in 2021-22.

“Since our (APEDA products) exports have already reached nearly $20 billion, we will exceed the target and also increase from the previous year’s level. Unless there is a global slowdown, we are set to cross $27 billion this year and may reach up to $29 billion,” said M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA. The agency, which contributed half of the $50.21 billion in the total export of agriculture and allied sectors during 2021-22, is responsible for all agri products, divided into 27 categories, excluding tea, coffee, spices and marine products.

Reachable target

Exports have jumped to $19.69 billion during April-December of the current fiscal from $17.51 billion a year ago. The government has set a target of $23.56 billion for the export of APEDA products during FY 2022-23. Due to the weakening of the rupee, exports surged by 20.4 per cent to ₹1.57 lakh crore from ₹1.3 lakh crore a year-ago.

Angamuthu said the focus on the top 10 potential products (non-basmati rice, basmati rice, bovine meat, miscellaneous preparations, cereal preparations, maize, groundnut, guar gum, pulses, processed vegetables) and top 10 export destinations (Bangladesh, UAE, the US, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Nepal) has helped to achieve the growth, so far. “Efforts are being made to push exports in further 40 potential target destinations,” he said.

In view of the International Year of Millets in 2023, APEDA has planned an aggressive campaign for the promotion of these Shri Anna (nutri cereal) and its value-added products in select markets for boosting export, he said. Besides, APEDA has chalked out several activities in different States to boost quality produce.

Basmati shipments surge

According to latest official data, basmati rice exports have surged by 40.26 per cent to $3.34 billion from $2.38 billion, while that of non-basmati rice registered a modest growth of 3.35 per cent to $4.66 billion from $4.51 billion in the year-ago period.

But in terms of volume, basmati rice shipments have surged 16.6 per cent to 3.2 million tonnes (mt) and non-basmati rice by 4.6 per cent to 13.17 mt during April-December of 2022-23 from the year-ago period.

Fresh vegetables registered a 7.5 per cent growth to $662 million from $616 million while fresh fruit exports declined 0.6 per cent to $459 million from $462 million. Pulses shipments increased by 80.38 per cent to $436 million from $242 million, the data show. Exports of processed fruits and vegetables together have jumped to $1.04 billion from $888 million, up by 17 per cent, and that of dairy products recorded a growth of 19.45 per cent to $471 million from $395 million.

The export of poultry products increased by 91.7 per cent to $95 million from $50 million and that of other cereals including maize by 13.6 per cent to $869 million from $764 million.

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