NEW DELHI : India’s agri exports crossed USD 50 billion for the year 2021-22, notwithstanding logistical challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic in the form of high freight rates, container shortages, etc. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has scripted a new history by exporting agricultural and processed food products to the tune of USD 25.6 billion, which is 51% of the India’s total agriculture exports of USD 50 billion.
Besides, the APEDA has also surpassed its own export target of USD 23.7 billion for the financial year 2021-22 by registering shipment of USD 25.6 billion.
As per the provisional figures released by DGCI&S, the agricultural exports have grown by 19.92 per cent during 2021-22 to touch USD 50.21 billion. The growth rate is remarkable as it is over and above the growth of 17.66 per cent at USD 41.87 billion achieved in 2020-21 and has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges in the form of high freight rates, container shortages, etc. The export of APEDA schedule products export may be seen from the Graph-1. It depicts the comparative export of APEDA products for the current year, 2021-22 and previous year 2020-21. Cereal sector in APEDA exports contributes more than 52 per cent share in 2021-22. Livestock products and other processed foods contributes 17 and 15 per cent in APEDA export respectively in 2021-22.
Graph-1
The historic achievement over past two years will go a long way in realising the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of enhancing farmers’ income.
Compared to total agricultural export, APEDA’s exports registered 16 per cent growth when it touched USD 25.6 billion in 2021-22 from USD 22.03 billion in 2020-21. The highest growth rate recorded by APEDA products (more than 30 per cent) in 2021-22 corresponding to previous year may be seen from Graph-2.
As part of the PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan, APEDA is collaborating with various ministries including railways and roadways for enhancing connectivity through faster transportation of agricultural products, as they are perishable in nature so it requires immediate and fast delivery to its destination from the production points.
“The Government has been focussing on boosting exports from Purvanchal, Himalayan, NER states, J&K and Ladakh,” Dr Angamuthu, said.
In line with the Government’s Digital India policy, APEDA has implemented several new digital technology-based initiatives which have played a key role in enabling agricultural exports worth of $ 25 billion under the its basket in 2021-22.
