Farm exports jump 43.4% in April-Sept to Rs 53,626 cr despite COVID-19 disruption

Despite challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic,  export of agricultural commodities for cumulative period of April-September, 2020 has increased by 43.4% to Rs 53,626 crore as compared to Rs 37,397 crore in same period last year.

buoyancy in farm trade can be seen in major commodity groups which have recorded positive export growth during first half of this fiscal as compared to last year. Export of groundnut grew by 25%, refined sugar by 104%, wheat by 206%, basmati and n-basmati rice by 13% and 105% respectively, etc,  Union Agriculture Ministry revealed on Saturday.

Furrmore, balance of trade during April-September this year has been significantly positive at Rs 9,002 crore as against trade deficit of Rs 2,133 during same period in 2019. On a month to month basis (MoM), India’s export of agricultural commodities in September jumped 81.7% to Rs 9,296 crore from last year's Rs 5,114 crore.

Plentiful rainfall this year has raised expectations for a good harvest season that will help lift rural incomes and support an ecomy ailing under pandemic-related troubles. Centre has already started procurement of Kharif crops.

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In 2018, Central government anunced its agriculture export policy which provides for a cluster-based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops like fruits, vegetables, spices, etc. whereby clusters for specific agri products are identified across country and focused interventions are carried out in se clusters.

Eight Export Promotion Forums have been set up to boost export of agriculture/horticulture products. EPFs are created on banana, grapes, mango, pomegranate, onion, dairy, basmati and n-basmati rice. government says se forums are making concerted efforts to identify, document particulars of, and reach out to stakeholders across entire production/supply chain of export for increasing se exports significantly to global market, through various interventions.

In July, government approved an agriculture infrastructure fund of Rs 1 lakh crore for investment in viable projects for post-harvest manment infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.

(PTI Photo)

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