The Union agriculture ministry reported Exports of Agri-commodities rising by 43.4% to Rs 53,626.6 crore in the first half of the current fiscal despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. According to them, Farm exports stood at Rs 37,397.3 crore during the April-September period of 2019-20 fiscal. In September 2020, Agri exports rose by 81.7% to Rs 9,296 crore from Rs 5,114 crore in September 2019.

According to the statement made by the ministry on Saturday: The consistent and concerted efforts of the government to boost agricultural exports are bearing fruit as despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis is the reason behind the rise in exports. Positive growth is recorded in the export of groundnut (35%), refined sugar (104%), wheat (206%), basmati rice (13%), and non-basmati rice (105%) during the April-September of this fiscal from over the year-ago. Furthermore, the balance of trade during April-September 2020 was significantly positive at Rs 9,002 crore as against the trade deficit of Rs 2,133 crore in the said period. To boost Agri exports, the government announced the Agriculture Export Policy, 2018, which amongst other things, provides for a cluster-based approach for export-centric farming of cash crops like fruits, vegetables, spices, etc. whereby clusters for specific Agri products are identified across the country and focused interventions are carried out in these clusters.

Apart from that, the government has also set up eight Export Promotion Forums (EPFs) under the aegis of Agri-export promotion body, it has announced the Agri-Infra Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to improve the agribusiness environment which will promote Agri exports in due course and has prepared a comprehensive action plan towards the promotion of Agri trade, that is, to boost Agri export with emphasis on value addition and a detailed action plan for import substitution.