Lok Sabha Question No. 1898 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Import and Export from Agricultural Sector
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Bhavana Gawali (Patil), Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1898 (H) TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 rd JULY, 2019

## IMPORT AND EXPORT FROM AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

## 1898(H). SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDILIKRAO GAWALI: SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा�ण�य एवं उ�योग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of quantity and value of exported and imported items compared to the fixed target of foodgrains and other agricultural products during each of the last three years and the current year, country-wise;
- (b) the share of agriculture sector including country's share in the total export of the country and the share of different States/Union Territories in it;
- (c) whether  there  has  been  a  negative  increase  in  the  export  of  six  major  agricultural  products including tea, spices and tobacco during the year 2016-17 and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  any  long-term  impact  on  this  export  of  agriculture  and horticulture sector in the country and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Government to augment the export of such products in order to improve the competition of Indian products in the natural market and to formulate long term importexport policy  for  agricultural  products  without affecting  the  domestic  demand/price  in  the  context of products value and their varieties?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y )

## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

………2/-

- (b) The share of agriculture sector in the country's total exports, during the last three years, has been as under:

| 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).

- (c) 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, unfavourable currency movements, international developments like sanctions against Iran and Russia etc.
- (d) 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.
- (e)  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 as under:

- (i) To diversify our export basket, destinations and  boost high value and value added agricultural exports, including focus on perishables.
- (ii) To  promote  novel,  indigenous,  organic,  ethnic,  traditional  and  non-traditional  Agri  products exports.
- (iii) To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and dealing with sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
- (iv) To strive to double India's share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chains.
- (v) 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.

Annexure-I

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| TOTAL   |
|---------|

Source: DGCI&S

Annexure-II

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Source: DGCI&S

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

- A. Exports
- B. Imports

|                               | Export in Million USD   | Export in Million USD   | Export in Million USD   |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
| Country                       | 2016-17                 | 2017-18                 | 2018-19                 |
| U SA                          | 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                |
| CHINAP RP                     | 1,052.35                | 1,175.65                | 2,256.53                |
| UARAB EMTS                    | 2,127.87                | 2,182.97                | 1,907.86                |
| BANGLADESH PR                 | 1,378.91                | 2,241.42                | 1,833.88                |
| SAUDIARAB                     | 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               |

|                                       | Import in Million USD   | Import in Million USD   | 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 SA                                  | 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                  |
| UARAB 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               |