India has got market access for exporting fresh banana and baby corn to Canada, the Centre said on Saturday. The decision was conveyed to Union Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja by Canadian High Commissioner Cameron MacKay on April 7.
Canada has given approval for export of fresh bananas with immediate effect, while outbound shipment of baby corn will begin this month after a technical update, the Union Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
India’s fresh banana exports were pegged at 3.33 lakh tonnes (lt) worth ₹1,035 crore during April-February of 2021-22, exceeding 2.33 lt worth ₹741 crore in whole of 2020-21, official data show. As there is no separate category for baby corn, the sweet corn (frozen) exports were reported at 18,614 tonnes worth ₹93 crore in April-February of 2021-22 as against 20,394 tonnes worth ₹99 crore in2020-21.
While Russia was top buyer of India’s sweet corn, other major destinations include Saudi Arab, UAE, USA, Egypt, Chile and Colombia. For India’s fresh banana, Iran is the largest importer while Iraq, UAE, Nepal, Oman and Afghanistan are some of the other major buyers.
“Canada informed that export of fresh baby corn from India to Canada may begin from April 2022 after update of directive D-95-28: plant protection import and domestic movement requirements for corn and the automated import reference system,” the statement said.
The move is expected to benefit Indian farmers growing these crops and enhance the country’s export earnings, the statement said.