The Hindu Business Line : Tap potential for agri exports: Kamal Nath

The Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, on Friday said even as the world trade was itself increasing, India's agri exports, too, would have to keep pace with this rate of growth.

Speaking at the Annual Export Award Function organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), he said the remarkable achievements in trade and commerce in the past four years gave the confidence to spell out an even more ambitious target that of achieving a five per cent share in world trade by the year 2020.

In practical terms, this means, he said, a four-fold increase in our percentage share in the next 12 years. Mr Nath said world trade was itself increasing and this would translate into an eight-fold increase in absolute terms.

"Ambitious the target may be, but achieving it is not impossible. The agri exports would also have to keep pace with this rate of growth. The task is difficult, but the gains are invaluable," the minister said.

Mr Nath said: "Our export of agro and allied products including plantations were of the order of Rs 43,000 crore during April- December 2007 showing a growth of 18.5 per cent over the same period in 2006-07. The export of these products accounted for 9.4 per cent of our total exports.

There is, however, an immense potential which is yet to be tapped".

While highlighting the APEDA's role, the Minister said: "APEDA's products such as floriculture, grapes, honey and bovine meat have shown excellent growth. The export of APEDA's scheduled products are expected to grow from Rs 21, 50 crore to about Rs 24,400 crore in 2007-08, and added that the performance was quite appreciable in the wake of restrictions on export of rice, onion, milk products and difficulties with poultry products during the period. I am sure these endeavours of the organisation will go a long way in enhancing the realisation of our farmers".

Commending on the efforts of the agri and processed food products exporters, Mr Nath said APEDA had been playing a significant role in building up of infrastructure which has helped in finding new markets for the Indian agri products and APEDA was also assisting in providing cold chain infrastructure at airports, pack-houses and other infrastructure critical for growth of exports of perishable agri produce from the country.

He further stated that the organised retail is expected to throw up new opportunities for service provider to go in for investment in the cold chain which would be very important for preserving the quality of perishable food products and strengthening backward linkages with growers.

More Stories on : Events | Exports & Imports

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Winds, humidity levels fail to measure up

Bartronics to issue bar coded tokens for fish medicine

2 shrimp exporters picked for US dumping duty review

Costlier fruit, milk drive up inflation rate to 8.10%

Spot rubber drops to Rs 125/kg

Dust prices up at Kochi tea auction

River project

Tata Tea Q4 net at Rs 179 cr

Tap potential for agri exports: Kamal Nath