India’s agri exports crossed USD 50 billion for the year 2021-22, notwithstanding logistical challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the form of high freight rates and container shortages. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), working 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 per cent of 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 shipments of USD 25.6 billion.
As per the provisional figures released by DGCIS, the agri 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. The cereal sector in APEDA exports contributes more than 52 per cent share in 2021-22. Livestock products and other processed foods contribute 17 and 15 per cent in APEDA export respectively in 2021-22.
Compared to total agri export, APEDA’s exports registered 16 per cent growth when they touched USD 25.6 billion in 2021-22 from USD 22.03 billion in 2020-21. According to the DGCIS data, the export of rice was the top forex earner at USD 9,654 million during 2021-22, growing 9.35 per cent from the previous year when it touched USD 8,829 million.
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The export of wheat touched an all-time high at USD 2,118 million in 2021-22, growing 273 per cent from 2020-21 when it touched USD 567 million, while other cereals registered a growth of 53 per cent by fetching USD 1,083 million in 2021-22 in compared to the previous financial year when it touched USD 705 million. Export of pulses reported a growth of 34 per cent touching USD 358 million in 2021-22 from USD 265 million in 2020-21.
Dairy products grew over by 96 per cent standing at USD 634 million in 2021-22 from USD 323 million in 2020-21, while buffalo meat registered a growth of 4 per cent as export of bovine meat increased from USD 3,171 million in 2020-21 to USD 3,303 million in 2021-22. Export of poultry products rose to USD 71 million in 2021-22 from USD 58 million in the previous year and sheep/goat meat export is up by 34 per cent at USD 60 million in 2021-22 from USD 44 million in the previous year.
Fruits and vegetables exports were up by 12 per cent to touch USD 1676 million in 2021-22 against USD 1492 million in 2020-21, while processed fruits and vegetable exports were up by 7 per cent to reach USD 1202 million in 2021-22 against USD 1120 million in the previous year.
Exports of other processed food items grew by 34 per cent during 2021-22 to touch USD 1164 million against USD 866 million in 2020-21. The cashew exports also grew by 7 per cent to USD 452 million in 2021-22 from USD 420 million in the previous year. Floriculture products reported a rise of 33 per cent when it touched USD 103 million in 2021-22 from USD 77 million in 2020-21.
APEDA’s major exporting destinations as per 2021-22 data are Bangladesh, UAE, Vietnam, USA, Nepal, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iran and Egypt.
