Exports from agricultural sector going down – Govt

Share this News:

 New Delhi, July 3, 2019 : This information was given by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

As export and import of agricultural products depend on several factors such as international and domestic demand & supply situation, international & domestic prices, quality concerns and food security concerns no targets for exports or imports are fixed.

The share of agriculture sector in the country’s total exports, during the last three years, is given below:

Year 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Share of agriculture sector in total exports 12.07% 12.66% 11.76%

Source: DGCI&S

State/Union Territory-wise data is not published by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI&S).

Overall exports of agricultural products grew by 2.64% in 2016-17 as compared to the previous year. The exports of tea, spices and manufactured tobacco grew by 1.56%, 12.22% and 2.41% respectively while the exports of unmanufactured tobacco declined by 4.65%. Some of the major commodities, which registered a decline in exports were buffalo meat (-4.07%), basmati rice (-7.75%) and cotton (-16.38%). There are several reasons for the decline viz. lower prices and demand in the international market, unfavorable currency movements and international developments like sanctions against Iran and Russia.

No study has been conducted to assess the long term impact of exports on the agricultural and horticultural sector by the Department of Commerce. However, it is expected that exports not only provide better market opportunities to the growers but also generally help in increasing their income.

To promote the agricultural exports, The Government has introduced a comprehensive Agriculture Export Policy with the following vision:

“Harness export potential of Indian agriculture, through suitable policy instruments, to make India a global power in agriculture, and raise farmers’ income.”

Inter-alia, the objectives of the Agriculture Export policy are:

  1. To diversify our export basket, destinations and boost high value and value added agricultural exports, including focus on perishables.
  2. To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non-traditional Agri products exports.
  3. To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and dealing with sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
  4. To strive to double India’s share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chains.
  5. Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.

The Government has also brought out a new Central Sector Scheme – ‘Transport and Marketing Assistance for Specified Agriculture Products’ – for providing assistance for the international component of freight, to mitigate the freight disadvantage for the export of agriculture products, and marketing of agricultural products.

The Department of Commerce also has several schemes to promote exports, including exports of agricultural products, viz. Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES), Market Access Initiatives (MAI) Scheme, Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) etc. In addition, assistance to the exporters of agricultural products is also available under the Export Promotion Schemes of Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Tobacco Board, Tea Board, Coffee Board, Rubber Board and Spices Board.

The details of quantity and value of exports and imports of foodgrains and other agricultural products, during the last three years and the current year, are at Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively. Country-wise details for the last three years (top 10 countries) are at Annexure-III.

Annexure-I

EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Quantity: in thousand units; Value: USD Million
    2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 (Apr-May)
Description UNIT Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Alcoholic Beverages LTR     2,32,179.33           298.90     2,41,013.37           326.67  2,31,601.93  300.91      24,470.87        38.17
Animal Casings KGS             173.24                2.06        12,424.66             50.68  14,882.83  68.27        1,860.28          9.18
Buffalo Meat TON          1,323.58        3,903.49          1,350.25        4,037.11  1,233.38  3,587.15           196.12     553.36
Cashew TON                91.79           786.93                90.06           922.41  78.22  654.43             10.73        84.50
Cashew Nut Shell Liquid KGS        11,404.76                6.56          8,325.16                5.06  5,300.66  3.87           651.15          0.47
Castor Oil KGS     5,99,195.56           674.73     6,97,092.50        1,043.99  6,19,376.57  883.78  1,08,029.60     180.07
Cereal Preparations TON             339.95           531.70             353.35           552.61  347.77  551.74             54.30        87.27
Cocoa Products KGS        25,649.50           162.18        29,579.53           177.47  27,603.73  192.69        4,617.91        30.16
Coffee KGS     2,88,613.37           842.84     3,17,828.97           968.57  2,82,889.02  822.34      56,749.99     149.54
Cotton Raw Incld. Waste TON             996.09        1,621.11          1,101.47        1,894.25  1,143.07  2,104.41             66.99     118.70
Dairy Products KGS        90,352.31           253.73     1,02,262.55           303.05  1,80,698.38  481.55      26,150.46        71.90
Floricltr Products KGS        22,020.33             81.55        20,703.51             78.73  19,726.56  81.78        2,983.68        13.45
Fresh Fruits TON             817.06           743.23             714.00           761.79  754.75  794.04           155.35     154.15
Fresh Vegetables TON          3,404.07           863.12          2,448.02           821.76  2,933.37  810.44           449.73     119.96
Fruits / Vegetable Seeds KGS        11,288.62             78.16        14,465.77           104.04  17,419.48  124.92        2,534.57        30.91
Groundnut TON             725.71           809.60             504.04           524.82  489.19  472.74             85.97        92.05
Guergam Meal TON             419.95           463.35             494.13           646.94  513.22  674.88             91.96     117.43
Marine Products KGS  11,85,272.87        5,903.06  14,32,456.67        7,389.22  14,36,680.63  6,802.24  2,24,351.96     996.97
Milled Products KGS     2,55,803.65           121.37     2,70,396.97           136.01  3,07,367.50  151.46      46,225.21        23.13
Misc Processed Items                        –           455.59                      –           550.55  –  658.35                    –     106.10
Mollases TON             390.67             47.06             123.97             15.06  841.16  83.76           113.25        11.53
Natural Rubber TON                24.46             37.65                  7.70             13.89  6.66  11.02                1.13          1.90
Niger Seeds KGS        14,070.46             17.46          9,215.04             10.84  13,370.58  13.64        2,001.16          2.33
Oil Meals TON          2,632.26           805.45          3,570.78        1,093.16  4,486.14  1,511.52           483.70     145.05
Other Cereals TON             734.77           212.30             864.24           248.59  1,277.00  349.06             89.28        36.15
Other Meat TON                  0.01                0.03                  0.45                1.09  0.85  1.96                0.35          0.76
Other Oil Seeds TON             193.27           126.00             295.10           174.79  213.83  131.57             18.88        13.27
Poultry Products                        –             79.11                      –             85.70  –  98.17                    –        14.23
Processed Fruits And Juices KGS     5,33,152.10           584.79     5,73,281.42           646.92  5,92,174.58  639.65      89,406.13        95.12
Processed Meat TON                  0.14                0.69                  0.27                1.54  0.41  2.00                0.16          0.90
Processed Vegetables KGS     1,92,855.77           263.57     2,12,203.36           282.87  2,28,872.64  293.95      38,164.28        48.93
Pulses TON             136.72           191.05             179.60           227.75  285.83  259.34             28.96        26.43
Rice -Basmati TON          3,985.21        3,208.60          4,056.85        4,169.56  4,414.61  4,712.44           864.03     932.20
Rice(Other Than Basmati) TON          6,770.83        2,525.19          8,818.53        3,636.60  7,599.75  3,040.22           711.84     293.82
Sesame Seeds KGS     3,07,328.55           402.17     3,36,850.37           463.90  3,11,987.34  538.94      41,637.11        84.06
Sheep/Goat Meat TON                22.01           129.69                22.80           130.90  21.67  124.65                3.62        22.98
Shellac KGS          6,065.00             33.60          6,530.85             44.22  6,996.04  43.70        1,039.16          6.24
Spices KGS  10,14,453.31        2,851.95  10,96,322.85        3,115.37  10,91,789.68  3,322.56  2,09,119.92     586.77
Sugar TON          2,544.01        1,290.71          1,757.93           810.90  3,987.96  1,359.75        1,189.20     382.87
Tea KGS     2,43,429.62           731.26     2,72,894.98           837.36  2,70,300.12  830.90      39,617.55     132.90
Tobacco Manufactured                        –           324.31                      –           340.37  –  410.96                    –        59.46
Tobacco Unmanufactured KGS     2,04,447.42           634.38     1,85,363.88           593.88  1,89,538.70  570.28      32,419.79     102.26
Vegetable Oils TON                60.47           116.29                37.06             87.83  49.95  106.79                8.51        19.79
Wheat TON             265.61             66.85             322.79             96.72  226.23  60.31             16.90          4.42
TOTAL          33,283.41        38,425.52        38,739.10    6,001.81

Source: DGCI&S

Annexure-II

IMPORT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
Quantity: in thousand units; Value: USD Million
    2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 (Apr-May)
DESCRIPTION UNIT Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
Alcoholic Beverages LTR  4,52,717.72        535.56  5,63,769.85        601.22  5,87,940.57        667.60  1,10,410.99     122.48
Cashew TON           774.51    1,346.58           654.02    1,418.63  839.64  1,607.54           137.03     199.80
Cashew Nut Shell Liquid KGS        1,687.77            0.55        2,092.36            0.88  6,611.49  3.02        4,150.78          1.47
Castor Oil KGS           107.21            0.22             38.37            0.40  223.82  0.76             48.05          0.25
Cereal Preparations TON             66.46          86.33             71.10        102.35  90.24  137.86             12.24        16.49
Cocoa Products KGS      63,611.90        229.67      71,257.55        228.51  87,593.24  263.14      14,433.88        42.37
Coffee KGS      78,041.34        138.20      77,217.05        154.73  82,772.39  137.67      12,833.96        20.16
Cotton Raw Incld. Waste TON           499.62        946.88           469.13        979.32  298.98  632.98             76.26     155.72
Dairy Products KGS      16,906.34          38.02      23,393.63          48.51  13,643.20  36.43        1,573.81          4.71
Floricltr Products KGS        5,568.39          19.96        6,241.10          21.16  6,374.48  24.97        1,974.59        12.27
Fresh Fruits TON        1,057.51    1,682.88           994.70    1,942.92  1,124.18  1,987.58           230.80     359.88
Fresh Vegetables TON                8.55            1.66             15.66            3.98  14.75  3.40                0.10          0.38
Fruits / Vegetable Seeds KGS      14,073.87          97.42      16,051.46        119.19  19,725.77  119.77        2,116.14        22.26
Groundnut TON                0.33            0.21                1.72            2.02  1.09  1.16                0.17          0.18
Guergam Meal TON                0.18            0.36                0.43            0.51  0.72  0.84                0.40          0.26
Marine Products KGS      52,015.03          94.37      44,713.34        123.06  56,933.36  155.70      10,170.18        32.35
Milled Products KGS        3,555.95            2.42        3,275.70            2.02  4,184.83  2.23           769.02          0.42
Misc Processed Items                      –        315.61                    –        349.00  –  366.23                    –        68.75
Mollases TON             13.84            1.35             72.85          10.76  4.47  0.20                8.30          0.33
Natural Rubber TON           426.19        652.57           469.76        829.15  582.35  873.26             66.65        99.03
Niger Seeds KGS      10,656.00          12.38        5,332.80            4.49  8,664.88  5.80        1,557.25          1.11
Oil Meals TON           550.43        145.30           485.96        115.83  504.00  125.26           103.37        24.17
Other Cereals TON           311.37          73.30           265.13          67.27  244.32  67.92             66.34        14.80
Other Meat TON                0.59            2.84                0.78            4.31  0.88  4.39                0.16          0.75
Other Oil Seeds TON           116.64          58.55           127.35          56.47  220.48  108.60             59.94        29.72
Poultry Products                      –            4.41                    –            4.17  –  6.01                    –          0.90
Processed Fruits And Juices KGS      42,993.07          81.73      53,585.04        124.78  59,120.53  129.68      12,198.75        20.60
Processed Meat TON                0.13            0.67                0.10            0.50  0.12  0.59                0.02          0.10
Processed Vegetables KGS      13,323.28          17.16      15,335.42          20.92  18,093.79  23.18        4,762.93          5.62
Pulses TON        6,609.49    4,244.13        5,607.53    2,908.33  2,527.88  1,140.76           418.94     176.66
Rice(Other Than Basmati) TON                1.14            1.08                2.12            1.89  6.87  4.56                0.77          0.71
Sesame Seeds KGS      69,028.83          65.88      26,269.59          27.40  87,538.04  124.23      44,687.80        64.22
Sheep/Goat Meat TON                0.13            1.27                0.22            2.07  0.12  1.55                0.04          0.45
Shellac KGS           459.61            2.01           466.92            2.85  640.96  2.75           186.95          0.73
Spices KGS  2,42,293.68        858.95  2,22,325.65        990.70  2,39,901.34  1,132.39      28,433.91     196.37
Sugar TON        2,146.15    1,021.81        2,402.98        936.52  1,490.61  449.02             77.43        26.22
Tea KGS      24,893.01          50.45      24,938.77          55.39  28,719.38  59.41        2,859.75        11.23
Tobacco Manufactured                      –          34.07                    –          28.85  –  36.76                    –          4.48
Tobacco Unmanufactured KGS        1,969.03          11.47        1,542.20          10.78  2,595.83  14.48           141.72          0.41
Vegetable Oils TON      14,007.39  10,892.75      15,361.02  11,637.48  15,019.30  9,890.32        2,489.63  1,540.35
Wheat TON        5,749.43    1,268.64        1,649.73        364.50  2.75  0.77                0.50          0.19
TOTAL      25,039.64    24,303.84    20,350.76    3,279.35

Source: DGCI&S

Annexure-III

Country-wise Details of Export and Import of Agricultural Commodities (Top 10 Countries)

  1. Exports

 Export in Million USD
Country  2016-17  2017-18  2018-19
U S A             3,648.58    4,643.83    4,581.16
VIETNAM SOC REP             4,327.88    5,280.10    3,703.01
IRAN                880.48    1,321.15    2,283.41
CHINA P RP             1,052.35    1,175.65    2,256.53
U ARAB EMTS             2,127.87    2,182.97    1,907.86
BANGLADESH PR             1,378.91    2,241.42    1,833.88
SAUDI ARAB             1,457.03    1,579.74    1,623.78
MALAYSIA                878.56       910.73       951.67
INDONESIA                733.94       652.87       948.83
NEPAL                837.04       874.83       913.34
OTHER COUNTRIES           15,960.78  17,562.24  17,735.64
Total of Agricultural Exports           33,283.41  38,425.52  38,739.10

  1. Imports
Import in Million USD
Country of Import 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
INDONESIA             4,808.58     5,745.44     4,067.45
UKRAINE             2,170.27     2,073.38     1,966.64
ARGENTINA             2,353.63     2,120.33     1,785.71
U S A             1,455.69     1,833.87     1,659.40
MALAYSIA             1,987.68     1,643.43     1,643.35
BRAZIL             1,454.45     1,382.66        950.04
SINGAPORE                  55.43          57.95        638.18
U ARAB EMTS                362.53        362.53        636.20
VIETNAM SOC REP                382.88        419.10        470.48
COTE D’ IVOIRE                393.03        353.82        434.42
OTHER COUNTRIES             9,615.50     8,311.34     6,098.89
Total Import of Agricultural Products           25,039.64   24,303.84   20,350.76