Lok Sabha Question No. 2344 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-21
Subject: Agricultural Export Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Kotagiri Sridhar, Sanjay(Kaka) Ramchandra Patil, Pocha Brahmananda Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2344 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st   DECEMBER, 2022

## AGRICULTURAL EXPORT POLICY

## 2344.    SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL:

SHRI POCHA BRAHMANANDA REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the Government is implementing the Agricultural Export Policy;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the targets, timelines and achievements therefor;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  conduct  stakeholder  consultations  to improve the implementation of the Agricultural Export Policy; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Yes Sir. The Government  introduced a comprehensive Agriculture Export Policy (AEP)  in  2018,  which  forms  the  basis  for  activities  being  undertaken  to  promote  agriculture exports.  The agriculture exports have reached USD 50.20 billion in 2021-22 from USD 35.58 billion  in  2019-20  registering  a  Compound  Annual  Growth  Rate  (CAGR)  of  18.78%.  The Government  has  taken  several  steps  at  State/  District  levels  to  implement  AEP  and  promote agriculture 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.  The  Government  is  also  in  the  process  to  utilize  the proposed District as Export Hub  Initiative to achieve the objectives of AEP. Under the  District as  Export  Hub    Initiative,  products  including  agricultural  products  with  export  potential  have been identified in all 733 districts across the country in consultation with stakeholders including State Governments. State Export Strategy has been prepared in 28 States/UTs. The institutional

framework created under DEH  initiative provides a platform for regular stakeholders' consultations.

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.

Further,  a  Farmer  Connect  Portal  has  been  developed  for  providing  a  platform  for  farmers, Farmer-Producer 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.

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