Sunil Barthwal, secretary of the Department of Commerce and Industry, said the government is committed to reducing logistical barriers and enhancing market access for agricultural products.
“Academia and research institutions must be a part of multi-sectoral consultations so that research and development can be a major focus for innovation and sustainability in agri exports,” Barthwal said at an inter-ministerial dialogue organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
According to an official statement released on Sunday, Barthwal emphasised that both agricultural production and productivity are crucial for boosting India’s agri-export performance.
The dialogue covered several key issues, including branding strategies for Indian agri-produce, strengthening global compliance standards to increase meat exports, and measures to enhance exports of processed and organic products.
For strengthening India’s agri-export ecosystem, Subrata Gupta, secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, highlighted the urgent need to develop robust infrastructure, establish sanitary and phytosanitary standards aligned with international norms, streamline tariff structures, and foster greater synergy among central and state governments, industry stakeholders, and departments.
Gupta also identified high-potential areas within processed food exports, including alcoholic beverages, nutraceuticals, and value-added products.
The event saw participation from representatives of state governments, policy experts, and industry leaders from the agriculture and processed food sectors. Officials in attendance agreed on the importance of adopting a more integrated and collaborative approach among stakeholders across the agri-export value chain to expand India’s presence in new global markets.
India’s exports of agricultural and processed food products under the APEDA basket rose by 13% year-on-year to $25.14 billion in FY25, even as overall exports saw only marginal growth. This surge was primarily driven by a 20% increase in rice exports.
The country’s overall agri exports are estimated to have crossed $50 billion in FY25.
The share of exports of products under the APEDA basket is around 51% in the total shipments of agricultural produce. The rest of the agricultural product exports include marine, tobacco, coffee, and tea.