Govt promotes exports of unique farm products

The government is in the process of expanding its export basket of agricultural products by promoting products unique to India.

Organically certified moringa leaves powder and seven unique value added products of moringa have been exported in small quantities. Vacuum freeze dried ethnic village rice from Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu has been shipped to multiple destinations of Australia, Vietnam and Ghana. The first consignment of 40 tonnes of ironrich red rice from the Brahmaputra valley has been shipped to the US, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Flavoured jaggery powder was exported to the US and the first consignment of millets grown in the Himalayas went to Denmark and Dahanu Gholvad sapota from Maharashtra to the UK.

Fresh jackfruit from

Tripura was exported to London and value-added products of organically certified gluten-free jackfruit powder and retort packed jackfruit cubes were shipped to Germany.

According to the ministry, such shipments will improve the export of agricultural and allied products, which increased

17.34 per cent in FY21.

The export of agriculture and allied products, including marine and plantation products, in

FY21 jumped to $41.25 billion from $35.16 billion in

FY20. In rupee terms, the rise was 22.62 per cent to Rs 3.05 lakh crore. With imports of $20.67 billion, India improved its trade surplus by 42.16 per cent to $20.58 bn in FY21 from

$14.51 bn in FY20.

Export of cereals too saw growth with non-basmati rice growing by 136 per cent, wheat 774 per cent and other cereals 238 per cent. Oil meals grew

90 per cent, sugar 41.88 per cent, raw cotton 79.43 per cent and vegetable oils 254 per cent.