Union cabinet likely to take up agri export policy this week

26 Nov 2018 Evaluate

The agriculture export policy, which aims at doubling outbound shipments of farm products and increasing their share in the global market, will be taken into consideration by the Union cabinet of India this week. The commerce ministry has finalised the policy draft and has forwarded it for the consideration of the Union Cabinet. The draft policy, prepared by the ministry, has suggested bringing in a stable trade policy regime, reforming the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act, streamlining of Mandi fee, and liberalising land leasing to double the agricultural shipments to over USD 60 billion by 2022.

The proposed 'National Agriculture Export Policy' would focus on all aspects of agricultural exports including modernising infrastructure, standardisation of products, streamlining regulations, curtailing knee-jerk decisions, focusing on research and development activities, setting up of an agency in line with the European Food Safety Authority for framing, regulating and implementing rules related to both production and trade. The policy has also invited greater involvement of states, improvement in infrastructure and logistics and promotion of research and development (R&D) activities for new product development for the upcoming markets. It would also provide an assurance that the processed agricultural products and all kinds of organic goods will not be brought under the ambit of any kind of export restriction such as imposing minimum export price, export duty and ban.

Agricultural products constitute over 10% of the country's total merchandise exports. The main commodities exported by India include tea, coffee, rice, cereals, tobacco, spices, cashew, oil meals, fruits and vegetables, marine products, meat, dairy and poultry products. Exports of value-added items are significantly low. India's exports in 2017 were about $31 billion, which is over 2% of the world agriculture trade.

The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has commented that 'switch on and off policy' in the past has deprived India to be considered at a reliable supplier and a stable policy is inevitable for successful agri exporting.

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