PIB | 23 Mar, 2023
Agricultural
and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA),
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India participated in the
International Food & Drink Exhibition (IFE) held in London.
The
three day Exhibition that concluded on March 22, 2023 was aimed at
promoting the export of agricultural products in the international
market of London.
APEDA
has facilitated the participation of Indian exporters, who showcased
their varied range of food products in all categories at the IFE event.
Large number of visitors showed keen interest in around 50 millet (Shree
Anna) based products displayed at APEDA pavilion.
At the IFE 2023
event, APEDA has displayed and distributed the finest quality of GI-
tagged Alphonso mango, wine from the lush grape vineyards and the
millet-based value added products.
With
India celebrating the International Year of Millets 2023, APEDA is
actively focusing on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of
promoting Millets (Shree Anna) in international markets by organizing
promotional events in foreign destinations and participating in global
food exhibitions.
Commenting
on India’s participation at the IFE, APEDA Chairman Dr. M. Angamuthu
said, “This huge market can be made more pragmatic by way of quarantine
relaxations, importation benefits and further opening the market.”
He
also said, “The base work is going on where we are expecting India–UK
FTA negotiations that will not only pave the way for Indian products in
large quantities, but also bring the cost of Indian products down
relatively in days to come,” adding that the Indian High Commission at
London has been very supportive and is working towards the betterment of
the trade ties between the two countries.
The
International Food & Drink Exhibition (IFE) is one of the most
prestigious food promotion events of the United Kingdom. At the event,
over 25,000 participants from across the world have come together
face-to-face to sample new products and explore new export opportunities
through International Buyer Seller meets as well as B2B meetings.
The
IFE is one of the well-established platforms to create brand awareness
and generate new business opportunities in the United Kingdom, which is a
big market for ethnic Indian food products, including fresh fruits and
vegetables, processed food and Indian rice, etc.
APEDA
is exporting quality food products to around 250 countries across the
globe, including the United Kingdom. In the fiscal year 2021-22, India
has achieved a huge export target of USD 25 billion of APEDA products,
which has surpassed all previous records. The APEDA is vying to meet the
export target of USD 30 Billion for the year 2022-23.
The United Kingdom
is a favoured destination for the export of Indian agricultural
products as APEDA has exported various agricultural products worth USD
421 Million in the year 2021-22 to the United Kingdom. APEDA is all set
to surpass its previous export target to the UK in the current fiscal
year as APEDA has recorded the export to the tune of USD 302 Million
(April-December 2022).
The
main agricultural food products exported to different countries,
including the United Kingdom, are basmati rice, buffalo meat,
non-basmati rice, coarse grains, maize, groundnut, wheat, cereal
preparation, processed vegetables, fresh fruits & vegetables,
alcoholic beverages, coarse grains, etc.
India has exported around 13000
MT of Indian grapes, 4000 MT of mangoes, 5000 MT of onion, 2500 MT of
millets, etc to 1310 Million MT of basmati rice, etc. to the United
Kingdom.
APEDA
recently organized the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference at New
Delhi to stimulate the exports of millets from India and provide market
linkage to the producers, Around 100 Indian millet exhibitors from
different parts of the country and around 100 international buyers from
various countries like the USA, UAE, Kuwait, Germany, Vietnam, Japan,
Kenya, Malawi, Bhutan, Italy and Malaysia participated in the
conference.
To
boost consumption of value-added products based on millets, APEDA, in
collaboration with Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR),
Hyderabad and respective state Agricultural universities, has incubated
more than 200 start-ups to develop a range of millet based value-added
products.