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Exports of major agriculture and processed products promoted by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in 2022-23 are likely to exceed the $23.56 billion target fixed for the current fiscal and touch $26 billion, as per the latest estimates shared by the export development body. In 2021-22, exports of APEDA-promoted items were valued at over $24 billion.
Exports jumped to $21.79 billion during the April-January period of 2022-23 from $19.75 billion in the same period a year ago, posting a 10 per cent growth, according to data shared by APEDA.
Non-basmati rice exports performed well despite a ban on broken rice and the government imposing an export duty of 20 per cent on white (raw) rice this fiscal. Non-basmati rice segment registered a 3 per cent growth to $5.17 billion (₹41,273 crore) from $ 5.01 billion in the year-ago period. In terms of volume, there was a 4 per cent growth at 14.56 million tonnes (mt) against 14.01 mt.
Basmati rice shipments reported a 41 per cent increase to $3.82 billion (₹30,514 crore) in the 10 months to January and there was an 18 per cent surge in volume to 3.66 mt. Total rice exports (non-Basmati and Basmati) reported an over 16 per cent increase to $8.98 billion (₹71,787 crore).
Focus on 10 items
APEDA has been focusing on the top 10 potential products — non-basmati rice, basmati rice, bovine meat, miscellaneous preparations, cereal preparations, maize, groundnut, guar gum, pulses and processed vegetables — and the top 10 export destinations — Bangladesh, UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Nepal — to achieve the target. Simultaneously, efforts are being made by the government agency to push exports in additional 40 destinations.
Fresh vegetables registered 11.5 per cent growth to touch $750 million from $673 million while fresh fruits exports dropped 2.9 per cent to $532 million from $547 million. Pulses increased by 72.9 per cent to $476 million from $275 million, data showed. Exports of processed fruits and vegetables together jumped to $1.15 billion from $0.98 billion, up by 16.8 per cent and that of dairy products recorded a growth of 9.6 per cent at $512 million from $ 467 million.
The export of poultry products increased by 91 per cent to $107 million from $56 million and that of other cereals including maize by 12.3 per cent to $994 million from $884 million.
Experts said as a number of agri items have slowed down after October, in the remaining two months another $4 billion to $4.5 billion could be achieved based on the trend in the past three months. The government needs to decide on export restrictions on wheat, broken rice and duty on raw rice after April so that exporters can resume trade negotiations with buyers, the experts said.
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