India’s agricultural and processed food products exports up by 13% to $19.69 billion
4 min read . Updated: 09 Feb 2023, 06:36 PM IST
Premium- As per the DGCI&S provisional data, for the year 2022-23, an export target of $23.56 billion has been fixed for the agricultural and processed food products basket and an export of $9.59 billion has already been achieved in the first four months of the current fiscal
NEW DELHI : India’s agricultural and processed food products exports rose to $19.69 billion in April-December 2022 from $17.5 billion over the same period of the last fiscal, as per the provisional data released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S).
The exports of agricultural and processed food products rose by 13% in the first nine months of the current Financial Year 2022-23 (April-December) in comparison to the corresponding period of FY 2021-22.
As per the DGCI&S provisional data, for the year 2022-23, an export target of USD 23.56 billion has been fixed for the agricultural and processed food products basket and an export of USD 9.59 billion has already been achieved in the first four months of the current fiscal.
The initiatives taken by the government have helped in achieving 84% of the total export target for the year 2022-23 in the first nine months of the current fiscal.
As per the DGCI&S provisional data, processed fruits and vegetables recorded a growth of 30.36% (April-December 2022), while fresh fruits and vegetables registered 4% growth in compare to corresponding months of the previous year.
Also, processed food products like cereals preparation and miscellaneous processed items reported a growth of 24.35% in compare to the first nine months of the previous year.
In April-December, 2021, fresh fruits were exported to the tune of $1078 million that increased to $1121 million in the corresponding months of the current fiscal.
Exports of processed F&V jumped to $1472 million in nine months of the current fiscal from $1129 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
The export of pulses has witnessed an increase of 80.38% in nine months of the current fiscal in compare to the same months of the last fiscal as the export of lentils increased from $242 million (April-December 2021-22) to $436 million (April-December 2022-23).
Basmati Rice exports witnessed a growth of 40.26% in nine months of FY 2022-23 as its export increased from $2379 million (April-December 2021) to $3337 million (April-December 2022), while the export of non-Basmati rice registered a growth of 4% in nine months of current fiscal. Non-basmati rice export increased to $4663 million in nine months of the current fiscal from $4512 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
The export of poultry products increased by 91.70% and the export of other cereals recorded a growth of 13.64% in nine months of the current fiscal. The export of poultry products rose to $95 million in nine months of the current fiscal from $50 million in corresponding months of the previous year.
Similarly, dairy products recorded a growth of 19.45% as its export rose to $471 million in April-December 2022 from $395 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
Wheat export has registered an increase of 4% in nine months of the current fiscal as its export rose to $1508 million in April-December 2022 from $1452 million in April-December 2021.
Other cereals’ exports increased from $764 million in April-December 2021 to $869 million in April-December 2022 and the export of milled products increased from $188 million in April-December 2021 to $255 million in April-December 2022—registering a growth of 35.71% in the nine months.
On the achievement, M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, said, “we have been engaged with all the stakeholders such as farmers, exporters, processors and Indian missions to ensure that quality and high value agricultural and processed food products are exported from the country."
As per the DGCI&S data, the country’s agricultural products exports had grown by 19.92% during 2021-22 to touch $50 billion. The growth rate is significant as it is over and above the growth of 17.66% at $41.87 billion achieved in 2020-21 and has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates and container shortages, etc.
APEDA had scripted a new history by exporting agricultural and processed food products to the tune of $24.8 billion in 2021-22, which was around 51% of India’s total agricultural goods exports of more than $50 billion.
“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," Angamuthu, said.
The rise in the export of agricultural and processed food products is the outcome of APEDA’s various initiatives taken for the export promotion of agricultural and processed food products such as organising B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product-specific and general marketing campaigns by the active involvement of Indian Embassies.
APEDA has also taken several initiatives to promote products having registered geographical indications (GI) in India by organising virtual Buyer Seller Meets on agricultural and food products with the United Arab Emirates and on GI products, including handicrafts with the US.
