SME Times News Bureau | 27 Jan, 2018
Exports
of fresh vegetables from the country dipped 15 percent during
April-November 2017, said Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority (APEDA).
In
an interview, APEDA chairman D K Singh said during the period, the
value of fresh fruits and vegetables was Rs 5,416 crore (more than
$845 million), a drop of 15 per cent when compared to the
corresponding period in 2016.
Export
of pulses and wheat. Also
fell substantially during the period.
Low
demand and supply of onions, tomatoes, bananas and raisins to the top
exporting markets was the major contributing factor, he
added.
The
increase in the Minimum Export Price (MEP) of onions to $850 per
tonne in the wake of low production has led to the decline in the
export, APEDA Chairman D.K. Singh told IANS.
"The
share of onions is about 50 per cent of total exports of fresh
vegetables. The MEP of onion has led to the fall in its export,"
Singh said.
Overall,
in terms of volume, vegetable exports declined to 1.60 million tonnes
during April-November 2017 from 2.28 million tonnes during the same
period in the previous year.
The UAE accounted for 18.3
per cent of the vegetables exports from India and 27.5 per cent of
fruits during April-November 2017.
Bangladesh stood second
with 12.2 per cent share while Malaysia came third with 11.8 per
cent.
Similarly, fruit exports reduced to 368,361 tonnes
from 447,612 tonnes in 2016.
The UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal
and the US are among the top export countries for India. The UAE has
been identified as a major market for Indian fruits and vegetables,
followed by Nepal, Bangladesh and Malaysia.
"This
year, demand for our vegetables and fruits from Nepal and Bangladesh
has gone down. It is also a major reason (for the dip)," Singh
said.
Interestingly, exports of processed vegetables and
fruits have shown a slight increase in the April-November period of
2017.
Total output of vegetables in 2017-18 is expected to
be 180.68 million tonnes as compared to 178.17 million tonnes in
2016-17.
Similarly, production of fruits is estimated to
be 94.88 million tonnes as compared to 92.92 million tonnes in
2016-17.
As for pulses and wheat, their export has
declined to 87,760 tonnes and 179,699 tonnes , respectively, in
April-November 2017 from 91,652 tonnes and 218,494 tonnes a year
ago.
The exports of non-Basmati varieties of rice, on the
other hand, have increased to 5.57 million tonnes in the period under
review from 4.11 million tonnes in the previous year.