Maintaining the growth momentum, farm products in the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority’s (Apeda) export basket have clocked an increase of 11 per cent in rupee terms and 15 per cent in dollar terms for the April-November period this fiscal. The growth is led by a surge in shipments of non-basmati and basmati rice, guar gum and dairy products.

However, buffalo meat — the single largest product accounting for 23.4 per cent of Apeda’s export portfolio — saw a marginal dip in both volumes and value.

The curbs imposed on export of onion, a key product in the fresh vegetables category, have slowed despatches.

Rice shipments surge

“Non-basmati rice is witnessing a good growth. In fact, the growth in non-basmati is higher than basmati. Also, the demand for guar gum, mainly from the US, has pushed up the exports. Except for fresh vegetables, there is growth in all other categories,” said Apeda chairman DK Singh.

MEP drags exports

Onion, he said, accounts for about half of fresh vegetable exports and is mainly shipped to Bangladesh.

The imposition of the minimum export price (MEP) by the Centre to boost domestic supplies amidst rising prices has pulled down the export growth in fresh vegetables, which slumped in value terms by over 21 per cent to ₹3,153 crore.

Demand from Iran and West Asian nations continued to push up basmati shipments. Purchases by Sri Lanka, where drought has impacted the local rice production, and Bangladesh have contributed to the growth of non-basmati rice exports.

Shipments of dairy products grew 15 per cent in value to ₹1,179 crore during the period, while other animal products such as sheep/goat meat, animal casings and processed meat too performed better.

Exports of wheat and groundnuts lost out on the price front.

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