Lok Sabha Question No. 186 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-07
Subject: Agriculture Export Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 186 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07 th   DECEMBER, 2022

## AGRICULTURE EXPORT POLICY

## 186. SHRI T.R. BAALU:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  subscribes  to  the  view  that  the  solution  to  the  economic distress of Indian farmers is through a stable and predictable Agriculture Export Policy which  aims  at reinvigorating the entire value chain from  export-oriented  farm production and processing to transportation, infrastructure and global market access;
- (b) if  so,  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  ramp  up  exports  in  the agricultural sector and thus enable farmers for the global market; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jherh vuqfiz;k iVsy½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a): The Government is aware of the importance of agriculture exports for improving incomes of the Indian farmers and hence had introduced a comprehensive Agriculture Export Policy in 2018. 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 deal with sanitary and phytosanitary issues.
- IV. To strive to double India's share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chain at the earliest.
- V. Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market

(b): Promotion of exports of agriculture products is a continuous process. The Government has taken several steps at State/ District levels to promote exports. State specific Action Plans have  been  prepared  and  State  Level  Monitoring  Committees  (SLMCs),  Nodal  Agencies  for agricultural  exports  and  Cluster  Level  Committees  have  been  formed  in  a  number  of  States. Country and product-specific action plans have also been formulated to promote exports. It has also  been  decided  that  the  District  as  Export  Hub  Initiative  of  the  Department  of  Commerce would be utilized to achieve the objectives of Agriculture Export Policy.

A  Farmer  Connect  Portal  has  been  developed  for  providing  a  platform  for  farmers,  FarmerProducer Organizations (FPOs) and cooperatives to interact with exporters. Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs)  have  been  organized  in  the  clusters  to  provide  export-market  linkages.  Regular interactions,  through  video  conferences,  have  been  held  with  the  Indian  Missions  abroad,  to assess and tap export opportunities. Country specific BSMs, through Indian Missions, have also been organized.

The  Agricultural  &  Processed  Food  Products  Export  Development  Authority  (APEDA),  an autonomous organisation under the administrative control of Department of Commerce, has the mandate  to  promote  exports  of  agricultural  and  processed  food  products.  APEDA  has  been providing assistance to the exporters under various components of its Export Promotion Scheme.

The  Department  of  Commerce  provides  financial  assistance  to  promote  exports,  including exports  of  agricultural  products  through  Market  Access  Initiatives  (MAI)  Scheme,  Export Promotion Schemes of APEDA and Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) etc.

(c): Does not arise in view of (a) and (b) above.

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