text: Bangladesh tea exports plummet
  Coir
  exports hit all-time high
  Rail-Port
  row hits rice exports
  Agencies to charge less for onion export NOC
  Spices import up
  AP
  plans Rs 107 cr horticulture export zone
  Karnataka to set up AEZs for rose onions and floriculture
  Indian coffee exports down by 11%
  Markfed to set up agri export zones in Punjab
  Silk exports dip 7% in 01-02
  MP
  redraws strategy to boost Durum wheat exports
  Pepper price rise triggers imports
  Sugar exports to get freight subsidy
  Ginger, chilly exports earn Sikkim Rs 58 cr.
  India may edge out Vietnam as second largest rice exporter
  Punjab to export frozen okra, green gram to UK
  export
  orders for Indian rice
  India exports sugar to Bangladesh
  New
  incentives package for tea exports on cards
  Indian mangoes likely to get export clearance from China
  Bangladesh cancels import tender for 25,000t sugar
  Edible oil imports likely to touch record high in May
  Wheat product exporters face uphill task
  Mango export may touch 50,000 tonnes this year
  Exports of spices decline in April
  Vanaspati imports
  Gujrat, APEDA to set up agriculture export zone
  Cotton pips almonds to occupy top slot in US imports to India
  Govt. spikes plan to sell grain to exporters at market rates
  Tea
  export strategy
  Sugar Corp banks on price edge to push exports biz
  Govt. reverts to selling subsidized foodgrains to exporters
  Punjab exporters shift base to east coast ports
  Tea
  exports up 6%
  Cotton imports double to Rs 2,000 cr as output dips
  Iraq
  to buy sugar at $225 a tonne
  UP
  ready to export mangoes
  Centre to set up taskforce to promote agri exports
  Mango exports post 35% growth
  Wheat, sugar exports post 10% growth in Apr-Jan
  Exporters to buy grain at FCIs open market price
  Govt.
  hikes tariff value of imported palm oils
  Grapes exports post 100% rise
  Freight subsidy on sugar
  Govt.
  rules out curbs on Soya oil imports
  Rice
  exports set to touch 4m tonnes
  Vegetable
  oil imports post 27% decline in Nov-April
  Export
  price for wheat hiked to Rs. 4350/tonne
  Coffee
  exports down 29% in financial year 02
  Oilmeal
  exports up 54% y-o-y in April
  Govt.
  chalks out strategy to boost cotton yarn export
  Edible
  oil imports likely to go up
  Agri
  exports fail to match markets expectations
  Government
  targets 15m tonnes grain exports
  Manila
  buys 145,000/t Indian rice
  One
  lakh tonnes of onion to be exported
  Manila to buy 1 lakh tonne rice from India
  India
  eyes new markets to reduce huge grain stockpile
  Rice exports likely to touch 4m this year
  High-quality subsidised FCI rice being exported at reduced price
  Its sweet success for grape exporters
  Foodgrains
  export sets record
  Nigerseed exports to US down 50%
  Oilmeal exports in 01-02 up 29% to over 4 lakh tonnes
  Focus on agriculture in Exim policy
  Import duty on natural rubber to stay
  Indian tea exports fall to 10.8m kg
  Agri-exports:
  Not so peppy
  After EU, Bangladesh curbs entry of Indian cotton yarn
  Government
  allows 2mt onion for export up to June
  Cashew export falls 10%
  JK
  get agriculture export zone status for apple and walnut
  India undercuts neighbours in rice market
  Government set up panel for grain exports
  Spice oil exports up 34%
  Rice exporters from Pakistan
  Nagpur oranges now head for Dubai
  Quantitative restrictions on export of wheat and its products
  lifted
  Cotton imports to touch 20 lakh bales
  Government to check vanaspati imports from Nepal
  GMO
  safety certification planned for imported food
  Coffee exporters regrets delay in transport subsidy
  MMTC
  would purchase sugar for exports
  Revision
  of export terms and conditions: Coffee Board
  Indias
  soyameal export may drop down
  Indias marine exports
  goes up
  Share of Indian agriculture
  in export during 1999-2000
  Bangladeshs tea exports plummeted
  to record lows last year but burgeoning local demand saved the day. Crop yields were
  higher but exporters fell mainly due to a reduced demand from Pakistan, which is a major
  purchaser of Bangladesh tea. Tea exports during January-December 01 stood at 12.9m
  kg, against 18.1m kg in 00. Export earnings fell to $11.61m, down from $16.29m in
  00.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 10)
  Headlines
  Coir exports hit all-time high
  The export of coir and coir products from
  India touched an all-time high of Rs 321 crore during fiscal 01-02, according to
  provisional export figures given by Coir Board'S Coir News. Exports during
  00-01 was of the order of Rs 314 crore, an increase of 2% in value. In terms of
  quality, export of coir and coir products during 01-02 totalled to 70,853 tonnes as
  against 67,493 tonnes during the previous fiscal, registering a 5% increase in terms of
  quantity.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 9)
  Rail-Port row hits rice exports
  Rice exports are taking a beating with
  the ongoing strike of the clearing agents in Kandla on account of differences with the
  railway authorities, nullifying the price advantage the country enjoys in the
  international market. As a result exports of around two lakh tonnes have been directly
  affected and if one takes into account the halt in any further loading at godowns the
  impact will be much higher, market sources said.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 6)
  Agencies to charge less for onion
  export NOC
  The government directed Nafed and other
  state trading entities permitted to canalize onion exports to slash down the service
  charge levied for issue of NOC to associate shippers. A notification issued by the
  commerce ministry holds that all fresh issue of NOCs to associate shippers would be levied
  a service charge of 2%.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 4)
  India witnessed a rise in import of
  spices, milk products, toys, umbrellas and locks during April compared to the
  corresponding month the previous year. In Spices the imports have jumped from Rs 24.9
  crore to Rs 139 crore.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 3)
  AP plans Rs 107 cr horticulture export
  zone
  To step up export of horticultural
  products from areas around Hyderabad, the government agri export zones (AEZ) on the
  outskirts of the city at a cost of Rs 107 crore. The zone will focus on boosting export of
  two major horticultural products produced in this area: mangoes and grapes grown in Ranga
  Reddy and Mahabubnagar districts and also parts of Medak. The government is set to sign a
  MoU with Apeda, in Hyderabad on Monday for promoting the AEZ in Hyderabad.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 2)
  Karnataka to set up AEZs for rose
  onions and floriculture
  The Karnataka government signed two
  memoranda of understanding with the APEDA for setting up agri export zones for rose onion
  and floriculture. The state which already boasts of the country's major AEZ for gherkins
  (pickled cucumbers) is also planning to have three additional zones for acid lime, grapes
  and vanilla. For the floriculture AEZ, APEDA's contribution has been placed at Rs 6.9
  crore out of the total cost of Rs 29.3 crore. Contribution of the state government and its
  agencies is placed at Rs 8.4 crore.
  Indias state-run Coffee Board
  permitted traders to export 140,804 tonnes of coffee from January to June, a fall of
  almost 11% from the same period a year ago, a Bangalore based Coffee Board official said.
  Indias coffee exports have fallen this year due to a global oversupply of coffee and
  the resultant low prices.
  (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 1)
  Markfed to set up agri export zones
  in Punjab
  Punjab is to set up an Agriculture Export
  Zone for potatoes. Punjab Markfed declared a nodal agency has initiated a MoU with APEDA
  for setting up the AEZ to facilitate potato exports from Punjab. Under the agriculture
  export policy, the state government will evolve a comprehensive package of services, which
  include pre-post harvest treatment, protection, processing, packaging, lab testing,
  storage and related research and development.
  (Courtesy-The Economic Times, 28th June)
  Silk exports which registered a decline
  of close to 7% during 01-02 is facing stiff competition from China which has started
  to make inroads in Indias traditional markets. While decline in exports to Italy has
  been to the tune of 33% that to Germany has been 27% and US, which is Indias largest
  buyer of silk, has shown a decline of 22%. Silk exports during 01-02 declined to Rs
  1309.4 crore from Rs 1,401.9 crore a year earlier.
  (Courtesy-The Economic Times, 27th June)
  MP redraws strategy to boost Durum wheat
  exports
  Madhya Pradesh is reworking its strategy
  to boost export of high-quality Durum wheat that finds a ready market abroad with makers
  of pasta and noodles. According to the state agricultural marketing federation, a target
  of 5,000 tonnes had been set for this season.
  India, the largest producer of black
  pepper in the world, has become a net importer of pepper last month. As per the trade
  estimates, the country exported 1,962 tonne of black pepper in May. On the other hand, the
  imports stood at 2,554 tonne for the same month. Chairman, Spices Board said that the
  higher import of pepper in May is just a temporary phenomenon. He said that
  when the prices of blackpepper increased in the domestic market some of the exporters who
  had commitments have to rely on imports.
  Sugar export freight subsidy has been
  worked out, under which government will provide reimbursement of the expenses for
  transporting sugar from mill to port. The reimbursement has three components of Rs 1.30
  per tonne per km for transporting sugar from mill to the railway station, freight charges
  by the shortest rail route from the mill to port town and another Rs 1.30 per tonne for
  taking sugar from port town railway station to actual port.
  (Courtesy-The Economic Times, 22 June)
  Ginger , chilly exports earn Sikkim
  Rs 58 cr.
  Sikkim, designated as an agricultural
  export zone, has earned Rs 24.61 crore by exporting ginger and Rs 33.11 crore from flowers
  and big chilly. The export earnings would be utilised for setting up packaging centres,
  cold storage, nurseries and other related infrastructure for agri exports.
  India may edge out Vietnam as second
  largest rice exporter
  Indias rice exports are likely to
  double to 3.6m tonnes this year, helping it displace Vietnam from the position of
  worlds second largest rice exporter. According to the Food and Agriculture
  Organizations (FAO) Rice Market Report yet another anticipated bumper paddy harvest
  and the expected surge in imports by Indonesia and China will enable India to displace
  Vietnam as the number two rice exporting nation. Indias rice stocks on the first of
  this month have risen to 23.33m tonnes from 22.86m tonnes in the same period last year.
  According to the report, despite a projected in the paddy harvest, India is estimated to
  more than double its previous years exports to 3.6m tonnes.
  Punjab to export frozen okra, green
  gram to UK
  There is a growing demand for
  Produce of Punjab, especially fruits and vegetables in Britain. While fresh
  Indian vegetables have already landed on the British soil, efforts are on to make UK
  Indians, especially those from the Punjab, develop a taste for frozen vegetables from
  Punjab as well. Two consignments of 20 tonnes each of okra and green gram have been
  shipped to Britain. Punjab Agri Export Corporation (Pagrexco) has already exported 20
  tonnes each of frozen okra and green gram to the UK, orders on hand are for another
  consignment of 40 tonnes each of frozen vegetables. These are to be shipped in
  August-September next.
  Big export orders for Indian rice
  There have been a spate of orders for
  Indian rice, including one lakh tonnes from East Africa. One private trader has bagged
  orders to export one lakh tonne 5% broken rice to east Africa at $143-144 a tonne to be
  delivered in July and August.
  An Indian trading firm has sold 45,000
  tonnes of sugar to private companies in Bangladesh at about $230 a tonne, a senior
  industry official said. Member secretary of Indian Exim Corporation, which bagged the
  order last month, said Bangladesh could import about 200,000 tonnes of sugar in the
  current year to September. The trading firm has so far sold 150,000 tonnes of sugar in
  02.
  New incentives package for tea exports
  on cards
  The Government of India plans to brew a
  new package of incentives to help the tea industry target new export markets. This was
  indicated by additional commerce secretary on the sidelines of a workshop organized by the
  Tea Board and United Planters Association of Southern India.
  Indian mangoes likely to get export
  clearance from China
  India is eyeing the Chinese market to
  boost exports of fresh mango and mango products. Chairman of Apeda said that they are on
  the verge of getting clearance for export of mangoes to China. This year India is
  targeting a 25% increase in exports to 50,000 tones through special promotions in six
  major markets- the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, London and Germany.
  Bangladesh cancels import tender
  for 25,000t sugar
  State-owned Bangladesh Sugar and Food
  Industries Corporation (BSFIC) has cancelled its tender for importing 25,000 tonnes of
  white sugar. They said the corporation was unlikely to call another tender for sugar
  imports in the near future.
  Edible oil imports likely to touch
  record high in May
  Edible oil imports are up again as the
  lean season approaches. Imports of refined and crude edible oils touch a new monthly high
  of the season in May 02 at 4.7 lakh tonnes compared with 3.7 lakh tonnes for the
  same period last year.
  Wheat product exporters face uphill
  task
  While India has made it big in the world
  market for wheat and rice, its target for exporting two million tonnes of wheat products
  is nowhere near realization. Millers are unable to get big contracts, as the current
  ex-FCI price of Rs 4,750 per tonne is not competitive particularly when the price for
  wheat export is much lower at Rs 4,310 per tonne.
  Mango export may touch 50,000 tonnes
  this year
  India is nibbling into the Pakistani
  share in global mango market and despite the fall in domestic output, the volume of export
  this year is likely to touch an all time high of 50,000 tonnes. Breakthrough in
  refer technology for export by sea has worked wonders for fresh mango exports
  and India has been able to break the Pakistani stronghold on West Asian market. This when
  coupled with an aggressive export promotion campaigns will ensure a 25% increase in
  exports to 50,000 tonnes in 02-03. Exports by sea not only reduces perishability,
  mangoes can be exported in bulk in containers of 20 tonnes.
  Exports of spices during April this year
  showed a decline of 6% in terms of quantity and 12% in rupee value when compared to the
  same period last year. In April this year, 18,910 tonnes of spices valued at Rs 112.5
  crore were exported as against 20,200 tonnes valued at Rs 128.3 crore in April last year,
  sources in Spices Board said.
  The government has appointed Central
  Warehousing Corporation as the importers of Nepalese vanaspati but by the
  procedure laid down by the latter, it has designated itself as a canaliser while
  permitting anybody and everybody to import the commodity. They said CWCs laid down
  procedure has allowed imports for quantities as small as 10 tonnes thereby ensuring even
  small time importers can participate in it.
  Gujrat , APEDA to set up agriculture
  export zone
  Moving closer to setting up its first
  Agri Export Zone (AEZ) for mango and fresh vegetables, the Gujrat government has signed a
  MoU with the APEDA. The AEZ will be set up on a cost of Rs 33.7 crore, of which around Rs
  15.4 crore would be arranged through the existing schemes of the central and state
  governments. To be set up over the next five years, AEZ will lead to exports of around
  5,000 metric tonnes each of mango and vegetables from the fifth year. AEZ will be set up
  in the central and south Gujrat, covering the districts of Ahmedabad, Kheda, Anand,
  Vodadara, Surat, Navsari and Valsad. These districts have been identified since they
  account for 35% of the states vegetable production and more than 50% of the mango
  crop. While in mango, Kesar and Alphonso are the main varieties, vegetables like okra,
  bitter gourd, chilli and drumsticks have a good export potential.
  Cotton pips almonds to occupy top
  slot in US imports to India
  Cotton has just become USAs top
  farm export to India. So good have been the pickings for US cotton this season that it has
  for the first time overtaken almonds as the hot American moneyspinner in India. US cotton
  raked in $110m from Indian in '01, up from around $60m the previous year. In the cotton
  marketing year (August-July) '01-02, Americans have contracts for 12-13 lakh bales out of
  the total 22 lakh bales being imported by India.
  Govt. spikes plan to sell grain to
  exporters at market rates
  The government has shelved the proposed
  system of charging open market price for foodgrains from exporters and later reimbursing
  the differential with export price terming it as impractical. Last month the government
  had begun selling wheat and rice to exporters at open market price of different zones and
  reimburse the difference with the ex-granary export price, showing it as WTO compatible
  subsidy. The minister said even the current system of selling grains to exporters at
  prices a little over the rates for below-the-poverty-line (BPL) families is WTO
  compatible. The difference with market prices can be shown as subsidy, which is
  permissible under WTO regulations, and there is no need to initially receive a higher
  amount from traders only to reimburse the differential.
  Tea export strategy
  Aiming at an annual export of 280m kg tea
  by 06, the government has identified five key markets, including Pakistan, and is
  working towards appointing voluntary organizations of traders to step up exports to these
  markets. Based on the report prepared by Accenture, Chile, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
  and the UAE have been identified as key markets for enhancing Indias presence in
  world tea trade and now voluntary organizations of traders will be appointed to improve
  exports to the targeted potential.
  Sugar Corp banks on price edge to push
  exports biz
  The Indian Sugar Exim Corporation is
  banking heavily on a possible $20 per tonne advantage in exports to boost business. This,
  too, at a time when the domestic industry is suffering from acute over production. The
  Corporation is awaiting the governments clearance for reimbursement of mill to port
  freight charges. These charges, which will work out to an approximate freight, cost
  advantage of $10 per tonne. Another $10 is expected in rail transport charges to key
  export destinations, for the Indian sugar industry at least, such as neighboring Dhaka.
  Govt. reverts to selling subsidized
  foodgrains to exporters
  Government has decided to revert to the
  mechanism of sale of wheat and rice to the traders for export at subsidized rate and will
  study whether that can be shown as WTO-compatible. The new system of traders paying the
  open market price and the differential with the ex-granary export price being reimbursed
  later has been put in abeyance. Official sources said they werent sure when the
  lower rate system would stop but the concern was how best to make the system
  WTO-compatible. The government will study whether the current policy was in consonance
  with WTO regulations or whether any change was needed.
  Punjab exporters shift base to east
  coast ports
  Wheat and rice exporters from the
  northern region, especially Punjab, have shifted the port of dispatch in view of
  congestion at Kandla port in Gujrat. The turnaround of rail wagons is also becoming an
  irritant as nearly 2-3 dozen rakes loaded with wheat and rice meant for exports, are
  reportedly held up at Kandla with the railways not accepting any indents for Kandla. As a
  result export consignments of foodgrains are being diverted to the east coast ports,
  including Vizag and Kakinada and Mumbai in the west, points out Food Corporation of
  Indias senior regional manager for Punjab.
  Tea exports up 6%
  Tea exports between January and March
  this year increased 55.9% to 41.3m kg compared to 39m kg in the corresponding period of
  01, Indian Tea Association (ITA), the apex body of tea manufacturers, said. Despite
  the marginal 2.3m kg increase over corresponding quarter last year, the value of exports
  dipped Rs 211.3 crore too Rs 337.9 crore from Rs 359.2 crore last year, ITA said.
  Cotton imports double to Rs 2,000 cr
  as output dips
  Reflecting shortfall in domestic
  availability, cotton imports have almost doubled to cross the Rs 2,000 crore mark during
  01-02. Bulk of the imports has been sourced from the US and imports from this
  country alone accounted for Rs 626 crore. The spurt in import is account of
  non-availability of specific varieties and price, official sources said.
  Iraq to buy sugar at $225 a tonne
  India has received yet another order for
  export of 13,000 tonne of sugar to Iraq at an attractive price of $ 255 per tonne. The
  order has been given under the oil-for-food programme for Iraq of the United Nations and
  will give a push to exports at a time when global market is dull.
  UP ready to export mangoes
  Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for mango
  exports through several incentives, saying there is enough high quality surplus in the
  state to be sold abroad. With about 4.2m tonne output, a 10% fall in production will not
  make any major difference in exports. In any case we have a five lakh tonne surplus of
  export quality mangoes.
  Centre to set up taskforce to promote
  agri exports
  The Centre would set up shortly a task
  force to devise specific strategies for increasing the exports of agricultural
  commodities. Mr. Vikhe Patil said the task-force would be entrusted with the task of
  identifying specific agri products for exports, preparing products profile of Indian
  agri-export products and recommending removal of procedural hurdles. He said that it was
  also proposed to set up a mission exclusively for agri-exports in due course. Pointing out
  that countrys agri-exports account for a marginal 1.1% share in world agri-products
  exports valued at $558bn in the year 00, he said that in order to boost
  countrys agri-products, the success achieved by other countries needed to be studied
  closely.
  Exports of Mango crop from Andhra Pradesh
  are set to go up at least 30 to 35% over the last year. The state is the second largest
  producer of mangoes in the country, the largest being Uttar Pradesh, producing nearly 32
  lakh tonnes each year. Nearly 2,200 metric tonnes of mangoes are likely to be exported
  this year, as against 1,600 metric tones exported last year said official of APEDA. The
  value of exports will be in the range of Rs 7 to Rs 8 crore. Though the yield this season
  has been less than 30% of the normal yield, owing to the crop being biennial in nature,
  the quality of produce is good and therefore is finding ready markets abroad.
  Wheat , sugar exports post 10% growth
  in Apr-Jan
  Countrys commodity exports have
  shown a marginal fall of 0.13% at $36bn during the period April-January 01-02 over
  the last fiscal even as imports increased by 1.3% to $42.7 bn from $42.1bn a year earlier.
  There has been an over 10% growth in exports of wheat, sugar electronic goods of wheat,
  sugar, electronic goods and petroleum products but they have a low weightage in the
  overall basket compared to the sectors which have registered a decline.
  Exporters to buy grain at FCIs
  open market price
  India has finally shifted to a
  WTO-compatible grain export policy. The government has decided that all exporters will
  henceforth have to buy grain at FCIs open market prices and claim re-imbursement for
  post-delivery expenses. So while exporters will continue to get a subsidy, the government
  will no longer sell at a special export price. Sugar exporters will also get subsidy
  through re-imbursement of freight costs.
  Govt. hikes tariff value of imported
  palm oils
  The government has increased the price at
  which import duty will be imposed on all grades of palm oils including crude palm oil
  (CPO) whose price has been hiked to $344 a tonne. The tariff value for RBD palmolein has
  been increased to $375 to $349 per tonne cost insurance and freight (C&F). In case of
  CPO it has been hiked to $344 from $314 a tonne C&F. The increase has been in the
  offing since some time owing to the rise in international prices of palm oils.
  Grapes exporters in Andhra Pradesh have
  exported over 100% this season, which ended first week of this month, when compared to the
  corresponding period last year. The popular Thomson Seedless grapes accounted for more
  than 80% of the exports, followed by other varieties like Sharath Seedless and the
  Australian Flame Seedless. More than 50% of the containers headed for the UK,
  while nearly 30% went to other European countries and the remaining to the Far-East Asia
  and the Gulf countries.
  Uttar Pradesh sugar will finally get to
  mix with foreign food. The government is planning to notify by the end of this month the
  inland freight subsidy scheme for sugar under which exporters in the hinterland will be
  partly re-imbursed for transporting it to port. But while the average $10 a tonne subsidy
  will make India more competitive in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, it is unlikely to widen the
  search for markets further afield in Africa and Red Sea region. So the governments target
  to export at least 1.5m tonnes this year may be only partially achieved.
  Govt. rules out curbs on Soya oil imports
  The Union food and consumer affairs
  ministry ruled out any restrictions on soybean oil imports saying it is neither practical
  nor in the interest of the overall trade of edible oils in the country. The food
  ministers rejoinder comes in wake of the agriculture ministry sending a proposal to
  the law ministry for curbing GM Soya oil imports. There have been proposals to distinguish
  between various kinds of Soya oil and accordingly fix the customs duty on them, but these
  ideas do not carry weight. Once the oil has been extracted from the seeds it is not
  possible to identify the genetically modified product and therefore any restriction will
  be impractical.
  Rice exports set to touch 4m tonnes
  Continuing to be at the centre stage of
  the global rice trade, India has bagged yet another order for exporting 13,000 tonnes rice
  to Nigeria. Trends indicate that if the current advantages continue, India will be able to
  export 4-4.5m tonnes this financial year. Demand is so high that the supply line is
  getting choked due to logistical constraints.
  Vegetable oil imports post 27% decline in
  Nov-April
  Indias dependence on imported
  edible oils is gradually going down, due to increased domestic supply following good
  kharif and rabi oilseeds production as well as appropriate custom duty structure. Total
  imports of vegetable oils for the first half of the season ended on April 30 have declined
  to 1.7m tonnes, down 27% from 2.3m tonnes recorded during the corresponding period of the
  last year. At this rate, total imports during the current season are unlikely to surpass
  3.5m tonnes as against 4.8m tonnes last year and 4.5m tonnes in 99-00. Imports even
  in 98-99 were about 4.4m tonnes.
  Export price for wheat hiked to Rs.
  4350/tonne
  The government hiked the ex-granary price
  of wheat for exports to Rs.4350 per tonne based on the international market trends. Till
  June 30, the previous price would continue to be applicable.
  Coffee exports down 29% in financial
  year 02
  Coffee exports fell to 202,047 tonnes in
  the financial year ended March 02, down from the previous years shipments of
  246,908 tonnes. The earnings, hit by 30-year-lows in global prices, plunged by nearly 29%
  in 02.
  Oilmeal exports up 54% y-o-y in April
  Oilmeal exports jumped 54% in April from
  a year earlier, mainly due to a sharp rise in shipments of rapeseed meal, Solvent
  Extractors Association of India said. Oilmeal exports totaled 201,450 tonnes in April
  compared with 130,877 tonnes in the same month last year.
  Govt. chalks out strategy to boost cotton
  yarn export
  Concerned over the 8% decline in export
  of cotton yarn during 01-02 compared to the previous year, the government unfolded
  in the Rajya Sabha a number of steps to boost its export.
  Edible oil imports likely to go up
  Indias domestic edible oil prices
  were stable over the past few days on steady supplies and imports are likely grow in the
  months ahead following a seasonal fall in local stocks, traders said. B V Mehta of the
  Solvent Extractors Association of India said edible oil imports in April this year
  were expected to be around 325,000 tonnes, down from 400,000 tonnes in the same month last
  year. India, with a population of more than a billion, imports nearly half of its oil
  requirements, buying palm oils from Malaysia and Indonesia and soy oil from Argentina,
  Brazil and the United States. Traders said imports could rise to 450,000 tonnes in May and
  cross 500,000 tonnes in June, July and August mainly because local supplies will dry up.
  But traders said the total imports in 2001/02 (November-October) will be lower than the
  previous year because of a better oilseeds crop, higher global prices and weakening of the
  rupee against the dollar.
  Agri exports fail to match
  markets expectations
  Countrys export of principal
  commodities has recorded a negative growth of 0.8 % during the period April-December
  01, despite an over 4,800% increase in exports of wheat. Principal commodity exports
  during the first nine months of the fiscal 01-02 was valued at $31.1bn as against
  $31.4bn in the corresponding period a year earlier, as per latest provisional data
  compiled by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics. Imports of
  these commodities however, increased marginally by nearly 3% at $38.1bn compared to
  $37.1bn during April-December 00. The decline in exports came despite an over 10%
  growth in exports of sugar, molasses, processed foods, electronic hardware and petroleum
  products. Exports of wheat was valued at $178.7m compared to a mere $3.6m in
  April-December 00, a growth of 4,817% while export of sugar was valued at $300m
  against $65.8m in 00.
  Government targets 15m tonnes grain
  exports
  The government plans to export 15m tonnes
  of grains in the current year to cut its bulging stocks, said Union food minister. The
  government has been tapping the export market to cut its massive grain stocks, which are
  estimated to touch 75m tonnes by the end of April.
  Manila buys 145,000/t Indian rice
  State-owned Philippine International
  Trading Corp said it agreed to buy an additional 145,000 tonnes of rice from India. The
  Philippine firm said that of the total, it awarded a contract to India to supply 45,000
  tonnes of 25% broken rice at a cash price of $168.98 per tonne, cost and freight freeout
  for delivery in June..
  Manila to buy 1 lakh tonne rice from
  India
  The Philippine government decided to buy
  a total of 245,000 tonnes of rice from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand. The
  government said it accepted the offer of India to supply 100,000 tonnes of 15% broken rice
  at a cash price of $173.70 per tonne cost and freight freeout.
  India eyes new markets to reduce huge
  grain stockpile
  India is looking for new markets like
  Iran, Egypt, Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia and China for its foodgrain to reduce the
  growing stockpile of 52.9m tonnes in government silos. With quantitative restrictions on
  grain exports lifted, overseas trade is expected to jump to 15m tonnes- 10m tonnes wheat
  and five million tonnes rice- and earn foreign exchange worth Rs 12,000 crore. Total grain
  exports during 01-02 are estimated in the region of 7.3m tonnes, including five
  million tonnes of wheat to 16 countries, placing India seventh among wheat exporting
  nations, according to the International Grain Council. This year government hopes to
  achieve a higher target as the money exporters have deposited with the FCI for acquiring
  wheat is much more.
  Rice exports likely to touch 4m this
  year
  Rice exports are expected to increase to
  around four million tonnes in 02 helped by lower prices and large orders. The
  country shipped around 1.7m tonnes in 01 after it reduced its export price in a bid
  to trim its bulging stocks of 25m tonnes. Indian rice, around $15 to $20 cheaper than
  leading exporters such as Thailand and Vietnam, is getting good trade enquires from the
  Middle East, Asia and Africa. India is currently selling around 200,000 to 250,000 tonnes
  every month. Traders said the Philippines, Indonesia and Iraq were among the countries
  that had made large inquiries and were likely to buy large amounts. Dealers said they were
  hopeful of winning a large portion of the rice contract floated by the Philippines, one of
  Asias largest rice importers.
  High-quality subsidised FCI rice being
  exported at reduced price
  Instead of trying to get the highest
  price possible, state trading companies PEC and STC and several large trading houses, are
  exporting high-quality but heavily subsidised FCI rice at prices which are $13-15 per
  tonne lower than the average rates being offered by the wold market for ordinary rice from
  India. Most of such unusually low-priced contracts have been signed with just three
  foreign buyers-ADM Rice of USA, Noble Grain of Singapore, and Ascot Commodities of
  Netherlands.
  Its sweet success for grape
  exporters
  Due to increased demand for AP grapes in
  the United Kingdom and other countries of European Union (EU), about 40 containers of
  grapes, mostly Thomson and Sharath seedless varieties, have been exported so far. Another
  20 to 25 containers 15 metric tonnes will be exported before the end of season in the
  state. Conversely, only 33 containers were exported during last season. Its not just
  the quantity but even in terms of earnings, the ongoing season is proving to be very sweet
  for growers and exporters.
  Foodgrains export sets record
  The foodgrains export has touched a
  record high. During the 2001-02 financial year, 75.62 lakh tonnes of food-grains valued at
  $742.08 has been exported. This includes the export of 55.75 lakh tonnes of wheat and
  19.87 lakh tonnes. According to the Union Food Minister, the earlier highest export was of
  28 lakh tonnes in 1996-97. There is no ceiling on the export of wheat and rice now. India
  has export to several countries including Egypt, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines,
  Singapore, Korea. Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Sudan, the UAE, Yemen, Vietnam.
  Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Russia. Talks are on with Iraq to reopen talks for the export of
  wheat from India. Besides, 10 lakh tonnes of wheat remain committed to Afghanistan through
  the World Food Programme.
  India is fast losing the US market for
  nigerseed, which is largely used as bird feed. Indian exports to the US have sharply
  declined to 9,475 tonnes last year, recording a 50% fall from 19,775 tonnes. Nigerseed is
  a minor oilseed grown in MP, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The
  annual production is estimated at 1.25 lakh tonnes and it is exported to USA, Europe and
  smaller quantity to Far East destinations as bird feed. Total world market is estimated
  arounf 55,000 tonnes, with USA being the largest buyer, accounting for about 30,000
  tonnes. Although the government has removed most controls on exports of nigerseed
  continues to be canalised through Trifed.
  Oilmeal exports in 01-02 up
  29% to over 4 lakh tonnes
  Exports of oilmeals during the
  01-02 financial year have jumped by 29% in quantity terms, according to the latest
  date complied by the Solvent extractors Association of India (SEA). Exports last
  month touched 407,350 tonnes compared with 311,051 tonnes in March last year. Total
  oilmeal exports from the country during 01-02 is estimated at 3m tonnes compared to
  2,33m tonnes in the previous year. Exports of soybean meal were up 14% at 2.49m tonnes
  from 2.18m tonnes in 00-01. Exports of rapeseed meal and groundnut meal exports,
  which had come down from the high of 1.2m tonnes in 97-98 to only 63,000 tonnes in
  00-01, have shown marked improvement at 313,000 tonnes last year. Similarly, exports
  of groundnut meal have gone up to 101,000 tonnes from just 19,000 in the previous year.
  Castor meal is exported as natural fertiliser for organic farming. Its export has
  increased 34% to 98,000 tonnes from 73,000 tonnes in 00-01.
  The new Export-Import policy 2002-07 has
  a special focus on agri-exports with the Commerce and Industry Minister, Murasoli Maran,
  saying this will help in providing remunerative prices for the countrys farm output.
  He prefaced the plan for stepping up agri-exports by quoting economists, who say that
  every 1 % switch in the terms of trade in favour of agriculture will result in diverting
  about Rs 8,500 Crores annually in favour of agriculture from the non-agriculture sector.
  This additional rural purchasing power will create a phenomenal effective
  demand.
  The measures in the Exim policy to free agri-exports from all
  hindrances include removing export restrictions like registration and packaging
  requirements on butter, wheat and wheat products, coarse grains, groundnut oil and cashew
  exports to Russia under rupee debt repayment scheme. In addition, Mr. Maran said the newly
  created 20 Agri-Export Zones would be assisted in consultation with State Governments for
  development of necessary infrastructure, flow of credit and other facilities for promoting
  agri-exports. Transport assistance is proposed to be made available for export of fresh
  and processed fruits, vegetables, floriculture, poultry, dairy products and products of
  wheat and rice. This is expected to lead to diversification of agriculture activity.
  Import duty on natural rubber to stay
  The government said it would continue to
  impose the 25% import duty on natural rubber to protect the interests of rubber farmers of
  Kerala. Justifying the imposition of the import duty by drawing a parallel the United
  States, Mr Maran said, India also has the right to safeguard the interest of its farmers.
  Stating that 90% of the export consignments had been freed from the requirement of
  physical verification, he said all quantitative restrictions on exports had also been
  removed to facilitate exports.
  Indian tea exports fall to 10.8m
  kg
  Indians tea exports fell over 13%
  in 01 compared to the previous year and has continued the downtrend in January
  02 with a 23% fall over the same month last year, the state-run Tea Board said. Tea
  exports from India, the worlds largest tea producer, have suffered due to fierce
  competition from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and lower demand from traditional
  buyers such as Russia and Britain.
  Agri-exports: Not so peppy
  Seafood, spices and cashew exports have
  declined in the first ten months. Serious effort and planning are needed to put things
  back on track. Exports of major agri-commodities from the south are likely to suffer a
  setback this year, if the performance for the first ten months is any indication. Exports
  of products like seafood, spices and cashew is likely to settle at much lower levels than
  what was achieved last year. Seafood export suffered a major setback and declined 8.4% at
  Rs 4955.6 crore in the first tem months of the current year from Rs 5411.56 crore achieved
  during the same period of last year. Decline in prices of cashewnuts was the main reason
  for the fall in cashew export. Import of raw cashewnuts also registered a steep fall in
  the first ten months to Rs 609.4 crore from Rs 906.5 crore last year. In quality terms the
  fall was from 230104 tonnes to 224911 tonnes. One reason for exports of seafood and
  cashewnuts was the US terror attack in September 01. As far as spice exports from
  the country is concerned the export of pepper, which accounted for 13% of the total was
  pushed down to the third place. The sharpest decline was felt in the case of pepper which
  fell from Rs 304.4 crore last year to Rs 172.2 crore. Export of spices like cardamom,
  turmeric, coriander, cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek, garlic and mint oil have shown a
  decline in both quantity and value terms. Export of cardamom(large) and other spices have
  shown an increase only in terms of quality. Sources explained that serious effort is
  needed to push up export earnings in the new fiscal.
  After EU, Bangladesh curbs entry
  of Indian cotton yarn
  It is now Bangladesh, the largest buyer
  of Indian cotton yarn that is curbing imports, after the EU imposed curbs on Indian cotton
  bedlinen. The Bangladesh government has recently imposed a ban on import of cotton yarn
  through the land route on the ground that sales of cotton yarn produced by local spinning
  mills have been affecting due to smuggling of cotton yarn across the Indian duty of 10% on
  import of all types of cotton yarn to perfect the domestic industry. Indian textile
  products have been targeted in recent months for harsh measures by some of its major
  trading partners undermining the basic tenets of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The
  restrictive unfair practices adopted by the EU and Bangladesh are seriously affecting
  exports of textile products from India.
  Government allows 2mt onion for export
  up to June
  The government approved the release of
  two lakh metric tonnes of onion for export up to June 02. The decision was taken on
  the basis of recommendations made by the inter-ministerial review committee.
  As per estimates done by the Cashew
  Export Promotion Council, the cashew exports from country has registered 9.9% dip in the
  April to January period of the current financial year. The exports stood at Rs 1422.7
  crore as against Rs 11563.3 crore during the same period of the previous year. The decline
  in the value of exports is despite the fact that the quantity of exports increased by 15%
  to touch 7710111m tonnes. The exports stood at 67036m tonnes last year. As per the
  estimates the unit value declines to Rs 184.5 a kg this year from Rs 233.2 a kg last year.
  Sources said that the main reason for the decline in export turnover is the fall in the
  prices of cashew nuts. The prices fell by 29% in the last couple of years.
  JK get agriculture export zone status for
  apple and walnut
  The Jammu and kashmir government on
  Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with the centre for declaring the state as an
  agriculture export zone for apples and walnuts. Mr. Abdullah said other agriculture
  products like saffron, maize and basmati would also be brought under the AEZ rule.
  India undercuts neighbours in rice
  market
  Asian rice prices are likely to slide in
  the coming week as Thailand and Vietnam, the worlds top rice exporters, find their
  bargaining power undermined by supply from India. India is selling rice at very cheap
  prices, relatively cheaper than rice from Thailand and Vietnam, said one trader. Indian
  25% broken grade was quoted steady at $130 per tonne free-on-board(FOB), while
  Vietnams 25% broken grade was offered unchanged at $157 per tonne FOB. India, a
  major rice exporter, had a stockpile of 25.6m tonnes of rice as of January 1, against a
  buffer requirement of 8.4m tonnes. In the period from January 1 to March 12, Thailand
  exported 1.4m tonnes of rice against 1.1m tonnes in the same period last year, figures
  from the Thai commerce ministry showed.
  Government set up panel for
  grain exports
  Government announced the setting up of an
  empowered six-member standing committee on the subject exports of grains and resolving
  issues relating to it. The standing committee on export of foodgrains, headed by the food
  secretary, would take fast decisions and interact with the exporters and their
  representatives bodies. The committee will met on the 10th of every month to discuss
  matters related to grain exports and additional meetings will be held as and when
  required.
  Spice oils and oleoresins are emerging as
  the single largest contributor to the total spice export earnings from the country in the
  current year pushing down black pepper to the third place. In the first 10 months of the
  current financial year, the spice oils and oleoresins including mint oil contributed 34%
  of the total exports. The second largest foreign exchange earner was chilli contributing
  nearly 17 % of the total earnings while pepper accounted for 13% of the export turnover.
  Earlier pepper used to contribute nearly 40 % of the total spice export turnover.
  Rice exporters in Pakistan are in a
  classic catch-22 situation. After securing the right to bid in the Philippines next
  rice import tender for the first time in six years, they find rice prices at home are too
  high and the staple in short supply. The situation is a blow for Pakistani exporters, who
  are struggling to make inroads into the world rice trade, particularly in the Philippines,
  one of the largest rice importers in Asia. The Philippines has not bought rice from
  Pakistan for about six years due to quality concerns.
  The first consignment of 9.5 metric tonnes of Nagpur oranges left
  Mumbai for Dubai on March 2. Branded as Nagpur Mandarin, this is a trial consignment sent
  by the Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board. The oranges have been selected from
  10 farms in Warud, district Amravati, Maharashtra, and are of 65 mm dimension. Oranges
  harvested in the summer season, from February to April, are considered better in taste
  than those which come during the October-December season, officials of the marketing board
  said.
  Quantitativerestrictions on export of
  wheat and its products lifted
  The government lifted quantitative restrictions(QRs) on export of
  several food items, including wheat, wheat products and coarse grains, to boost exports of
  agricultural commodities. According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of
  Foreign Trade(DGFT), the packaging restrictions on pulses for export have also been done
  away with. QRs on export of flour of barley, maize, bajra, ragi and jawar were also
  removed. The notification said the condition of registration of contract with Apeda for
  export of non-basmati rice has been done away with in order to facilitate the
  commoditys trade in the international market. They has decided to continue QR on
  export of onion but has raised the quota to seven lakh tonnes per annum - two lakh tonnes
  for kharif and five lakh tonnes for rabi season.
  Cottonimports to touch 20 lakh bales
  Textile industry is expected to import around 20 lakh bales of cotton
  this season despite higher indigenous production estimated at 154.5 lakh bales by the
  Cotton Advisory Board. During 00-01 season ended September 01 imports were
  estimated at 22.1 lakh bales and domestic production at 140 lakh bales. This is as against
  the production of 153.5 lakh bales and imports of 17 lakh bales estimated by the All India
  Cotton Trade Associations conference. The board has estimated a consumption of 150
  lakh bales by the mills this season against trade estimate of 145 lakh bales. It has
  estimated the consumption by small spinners at 12 lakh bales as against trade estimate of
  nine lakh bales and the non-mill requirement at 12 lakh bales against 11 lakh bales
  assumed by the trade.
  Government exporters regrets delay in
  transport subsidy
  India and Nepal have finally agreed that only 1,00,000 tonnes vanaspati
  be imported at zero duty. Anything more will have to pay the peak customs tariff of 30%.
  The decision, under the new Indo-Nepal Treaty coming into effect from March 6, is expected
  to put an end to the flood of cheap Nepali vanaspati, which has bottomed out the Indian
  market and given local brands a sound drubbing over the last two years. Under the existing
  Indo-Nepal treaty, there is no limit on the quantity of duty-free vanaspati being imported
  into India, leading to more than two lakh tonnes coming in every year. There is an average
  price difference of Rs 80/tin between Indian and Nepali.
  GMO safety certification planned for imported
  food
  GMO
  The government is planning to introduce a GMO safety certification
  scheme for all food products being imported into the country to ensure correct labeling
  and protection of consumer health. Armed with this law, the government will thus be able
  to easily stem the inflow of any food product worrying its War Room, without reneging on
  Indias WTO customs tariff commitments. The government is also seeking to amend the
  Prevention of Food Adulteration Act to include GM certification in domestic food quality
  standards, but this could take another six-eight months. Labs will be set up across the
  country to enable port health officials, under the ministry of health, to conduct checks
  for GM content in imported food. China has already introduced strict GMO certification of
  food imports.
  Coffee exporters regrets delay in transport
  subsidy
  Coffee
  The 50 paise a kg transport subsidy being offered on coffee export
  shipments for the last three months of this financial year, end up not really fulfilling
  the purpose with which it was started namely alleviating the plight of the
  countrys coffee cultivators, of whom over 98 % are small growers and bear the burnt
  of the steep fall in world prices over the last 12 months.
  Share of palm oil products touch a high of
  87%
  Palm oil products share has reached a new high of 87% even as the
  overall edible oils imports has declined by 28% in the first quarter of the current oil
  year beginning Nov01. Imports of edible oils in Jan 02 came down to 2.7 lakh
  tonnes, recording a 50% declined when compared with 5.4 lakh tonnes for the same month
  last year. With this the total imports of vegetable oils in the first quarter of current
  year was 8.8 lakh tonnes, a 28% lower against 12.3 lakh tonnes for the same period last
  year.
  MMTC would purchase sugar for exports
  According to a
  release MMTC issued a domestic tender for purchasing white sugar from mills for exports
  but no quantities have been mentioned in the tender which closes on September 8. A senior
  MMTC official said the company would purchase sugar for exports. The Indian Sugar and
  General Export and Import Corporation (ISGIC) had also floated a tender to buy sugar from
  domestic mills for export. The seller has been asked to mention the price and quantity on
  offer of white refined and white crystal sugar month-wise in September, October and
  November.
  Revision of export terms and
  conditions: Coffee Board
  Coffee Board has
  decided to review the terms and conditions for export permits in the wake of the massive
  and outright fraud committed by a group of exporters as reported. According to a circular
  issued to exporters by the board secretary Nitin Gokarn, there will be random checks on
  export coffees at the ports/curing works. The board will have the right to inspect the
  curing works if there is reason to believe that the facilities are inadequate, resulting
  in poor processing of exportable coffee. The name of the curing works from which export
  coffee is sourced will have to be mentioned in the permit application in order to
  ascertain whether the Coffee Board licenses the works.
  Indias soyameal export may drop
  down
  Though global
  soyabean production in 00-01 is forecasted to touch an unprecedented 165m tonnes,
  atleast 10m tonnes more than the 155m tonnes of 99-00. India's soyameal exports
  expect to slow sown in the next quarter. In 99-00, India exported about 2.5m tonnes
  of soyameal.
  Industry sources
  reported that the bumper crop from US will put tremendous pressure on the prices of
  soyabean and its derivative world over. In addition the new marketing season beginning
  October 00 will have an opening stock of 20 m tonnes of soyabean. International
  developments are sure to have their repercussion on the Indian soya sector.
  Industry sources
  reported that Indian soyameal exports may remain stable as far as the quantity is
  concerned but may witness a drop in its unit value realization. Currently in the overseas
  markets of Indian Soyameal is quoted at $220 per tonne FOB.
  Exporters opine that
  liberal policy for edible oils imports is unlikely to be tampered atleast until October
  00, because of demand for cooking medium during the ensuring festival season. This
  would limit the margins on oil sales by soybean processors. In June shipments are
  estimated to be lower, and the trend is likely to continue till October until the
  prospects of a new crop will be known, as reported.
  Indias
  marine exports goes up
  Indias export
  of seafood products has increased upto 28.2% in value terms in the first 3 months of the
  current fiscal. The exports stood at Rs.1, 304.7 crore in the first quarter as compared to
  Rs.1, 017.9 crore during the same period last year. In quantity terms, the exports stood
  at 66917 tonnes in the first three months of the current fiscal, an increase of 5.2% over
  the previous years level of 63,593 tonnes.
  In the first quarter
  of 99-00, the exports stood at $238.76m. Among the different commodity groups,
  shrimp exports stood at 26,622 tonnes in the first three months. Compared to this the
  exports stood at 23,632 tonnes last year. The value of exports stood at Rs.1, 000.42 crore
  as against Rs.757.02 crore in the previous year.
  Export of fish was
  17,377 tonnes in the first three months as against 17,953 tonnes during the same period of
  the previous year. The export of cuttle fish was 3,639 tonnes down from the level of 4,049
  tonnes last year. However, the value of exports increased marginally to Rs.33.8 crore from
  Rs.32.07 crore in the previous year. Export of squid touched 11,022 tonnes as against
  11910 tonnes in the previous year.
  The value of exports
  increased to Rs.9, 2.21 crore from Rs.89.82 crore in the previous year. Export of dried
  items fell marginally to 1,048 tonnes from 1,065 tonnes in the previous year. However, the
  value of exports increased sharply to Rs.13.81 crore as against Rs. 7.59 crore. Products
  like shrimp powder, cattle-fish ink, whole frozen crab, etc found a place in the export
  during the period.
  Share of Indian agriculture in export during 1999-2000
  Much of the
  fluctuation in Indias export growth in the 90s has been due to its
  increasing dependence on agricultural products. The share of agricultural products in
  aggregate exports had increased steadily from about 17% at the beginning of the decade to
  over 20.5% in 1996-97. Alternatively, the countrys export performance began to
  falter after 1996-97 when the growth trend from agricultural and allied products went
  down. Their share in aggregate exports fell by nearly two percentage points in 1997-98
  alone. The larger dependence on agriculture means greater fluctuation of export
  performance, as many of the items are in short supply at home. The cyclical nature of
  their production too affects the countrys export performance.
  Agricultural
  production declined. Export earnings from agriculture and allied products declined by 8.8%
  form $6,033 million in 1988-99 to $5,504.5 million last year. Exports of both basmati and
  non-basmati rice, coffee, oil meals and tea fell during the year. Export of non-basmati
  rice declined by 69.8% and its share in total exports, as a result, fell from 3.14 % in
  1998-99 to only 0.84% last year. Incidentally, export earnings from non-basmati rice had
  increased by a whopping 130% in 1998-99.
  Even the export of
  traditional items like tea has witnessed a sharp fall. Export earnings from tea declined
  by over 24% last year against an increase of last year against an increase of 6.5% in the
  previous year. Export earnings from both rice and tea may increase once again in the
  current year, as their performance is highly cyclical.
  Share of Agricultural allied products in Indias total exports in
  1999-2000
  Items
  Export
  (US $ Mln)
  %Change
  % in total
  99-00
  98-99
  Basmati
  rice
  401.1
  446.0
  -10.1
  1.07
  1.34
  Cashew
  566.4
  386.7
  46.5
  1.51
  1.16
  Castor
  oil
  245.4
  159.7
  53.7
  0.65
  0.48
  315.2
  410.6
  -23.2
  0.84
  1.24
  Guargum
  meal
  189.1
  172.9
  9.4
  0.50
  0.52
  Marine
  products
  1181.5
  1038.1
  13.8
  3.14
  3.13
  Meat
  & preparations
  180.4
  187.3
  -3.7
  0.56
  Non-basmati
  rice
  316.4
  1046.5
  -69.8
  3.15
  Oil
  meals
  370.4
  461.4
  -19.7
  0.99
  1.39
  Sesame
  & nigar seeds
  85.9
  78.1
  10.0
  0.23
  0.24
  Spices
  393.2
  387.9
  1.4
  1.05
  1.17
  Tea
  408.0
  538.2
  -24.2
  1.09
  1.62
  Tobacco
  unmanufactured
  184.9
  136.0
  36.0
  0.49
  0.41
  5504.5
  6033.0
  -
  8.8
  14.64
  18.17
  Headlines
  This year, there is
  delay in sowing of most kharif crops. Sowing of paddy has also been delayed except in
  states such as Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Rains are delayed in the North, which is a
  major producer of rice. Exports of non-basmati this year are expected to decline further,
  while that of basmati is likely to be maintained. Exports of non-basmati have declined
  from 4.3m tonnes in 98-99 to about 1m tonnes in the last financial year and exports
  of basmati rice were down from 6 lakh tonnes in 98-99 to approximately 5.2 lakh
  tonnes in 99-00.
  "In the current
  year the country may witness a further downtrend in exports of non-basmati rice. The
  exports of basmati may touch in the region of 5-6 lakh tonnes. Decline in exports is
  anticipated mainly due to high Minimum support Price (MSP) by the govt. of Rs. 475 per
  quintal against Rs. 440 per quintal. Higher domestic prices have forced the exporters to
  demand higher value in the export market. Also, Indias competitors are merrily
  reducing their prices. Our exporters cannot afford to do that. Decline in Indian exports
  is also due to the decline in world demand last year which was around 22 m tonnes against
  27 m tonnes recorded in 98," Anil Adlakha, executive director, All India Rice
  Exports Association, said.
  Non-basmati exports
  may record even lower this year as most non-basmati rice consuming countries such as
  Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have had a good crop. Rashmi Bhimjyani,
  managing director, RT Exports, opines that in the current year, the country may witness a
  decrease of 25-40% in basmati production. Globally, there is a large carry over stocks of
  basmati sella rice in Saudia Arabia.
  Headlines
  The newly-launched price advisory
  committee for basmati is likely to operate as thinly-disguised cartel under government
  aegis as Apeda(Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) asks
  major six exporters to EU to help determine minimum export price. Hindustan Lever, United
  Rice-land, Bush Foods, Amira Foods, Picric and LT Overseas are now part of a permanent
  committee set up by Apeda to fix the minimum price, which will be advised to all companies
  exporting brown basmati. According to Apedas circular, any company not complying
  with the price advisory panel will be refused registration, at the sole discretion of the
  chairman, price advisory committee. Apeda claims that the objective of the price-fixing
  mechanism is to ensure an appropriate standard.