Exports of fruits, vegetables, and processed cereals surged by 9% in Q1 FY25, according to data released by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) on July 19. While overall agricultural trade declined by 3% due to restrictions on rice and drops in cashew and oil meal products, trade in non-regulated categories saw a 3% increase, stated APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev.
Dairy products saw a 30% rise in the first two months of the year, and global cocoa price increases pushed trade up by 50%. Conversely, non-basmati rice exports, which are currently banned, fell by 13%, and maize exports plummeted by 75% compared to the previous year. The decline in maize exports is attributed to higher domestic prices and strong global production.
APEDA is aiming to capture a larger share of the global market with a focus on 25 key products, which saw a 14.4% trade increase from last year, amounting to $14.4 billion in exports. “The idea is to take exports up further and capture a significant share of the $400 billion market in these products,” said Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce.
To achieve this, APEDA plans to double the number of farmer producers’ organizations (FPOs) to 2,500 within a year and increase exports via the government’s digital commerce platform ONDC from 13 to 250. The organization is also focusing on boosting trade from the North Eastern Region and areas like Odisha, Dev noted.