APEDA looks at doubling exports to about USD 18 bn in 5 yrs
New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Agricultural and Processed
Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) today said
it is looking at doubling its exports to USD 18 billion (about
Rs 87,700 crore) in the next five years on higher demand from
SAARC countries and the Middle East.
"We are planning to double our export turnover within
next 5 years to at least USD 18 billion from the present USD 9
billion," APEDA Chairman Asit Tripathy told reporters at a
National Workshop on 'Achieving Exponential Growth in Agro
Exports'.
The key drivers, he said, are high demand from Pakistan,
Bangladesh, other SAARC countries and the Middle East nations,
especially for Indian onions and potatoes.
Despite the recession hitting overall exports, positive
growth of 24.43 per cent has been achieved in 2008-09 against
the previous year due to huge demand for fruits, vegetables
and basmati rice.
The overall exports of fresh fruits and vegetables have
gone up by 128.51 per cent over 2007-08, according to the data
provided by APEDA.
Tripathy said, the worst of recession is over and "going
by the global scenario we don't have to worry about that.
Moreover, we mainly export to the SAARC countries and the
Middle East nations, where there is still great potential and
the market is growing. We not at all dependent on the US."
In fresh fruits category, exports have shown growth of
121.16 per cent, rising to Rs 2,017 crore during 2008-09 from
Rs 912 crore in 2007-08. Similarly, fresh vegetables exports
rose by 132.92 per cent to Rs 3,552 crore in 2008-09 from Rs
1,525 crore in the previous fiscal.
The data also showed that despite the overall rice
exports dipping marginally by 5.3 per cent, basmati rice
exports rose 105 per cent due to ban on shipment of
non-basmati rice. Growth in shipments of basmati rise can be
attributed to the addition of Pusa-1121 variety in the basmati
category, which was a huge success.
He said APEDA is now emphasising on export of value added
products and from primary processing to secondary processing
of products that will fetch more foreign currency.
Processed foods had an impressive growth of 25.24 per cent
growing to Rs 9,919 crore during 2008-09 from Rs 7,920 crore
in the year-ago period.
APEDA is also working on 5,000 acres of land to develop
clustrised farming on horticultural products. "We are working
in those areas where farmers are already active, like
pomegranates, ginger, banana, alphanso and kesar mangoes and
passion fruit to increase our competitive edge," he added. PTI
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