India's fresh fruit exports surge 29 per cent, footprint spreads to 111 countries

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Fresh fruits have emerged as a standout performer in India's agri export basket with a robust growth of 29 per cent in the nine-month period from April to Dec 2023, according to the latest data compiled by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

The market footprint of India's fresh fruits has now spread across 111 countries during this period compared to 102 destinations in the previous year as the commodity leads in the $100 million plus category of exports.

During April-November 2023, several key commodities witnessed substantial growth compared to the previous year, like, bananas: 63 per cent, and kesar and dasheri mango: 120 per cent and 140 per cent, respectively, Lentils (dried and shelled): 110 per cent, Fresh eggs: 160 per cent.

During the period from April to December 2023, the export value of Basmati rice surged by 19 per cent, reaching USD 3.97 billion compared to USD 3.33 billion in the previous year.

Simultaneously, the quantity of exports witnessed a notable growth of 11 per cent, increasing from 31.98 lakh metric tons to 35.43 lakh metric tons within the same timeframe.

Basmati rice found its way to the top markets, with Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the US, and the UAE emerging as the top five destinations for these exports. This robust performance underscores the enduring popularity and global demand for Basmati rice, further solidifying its position as a major agricultural product in India's export portfolio.

The export of processed vegetables also surged by 24 per cent during this period followed by Miscellaneous processed items. Fresh Vegetables also saw a substantial growth compared to the corresponding period last year.

In the period April-December, 2023 among the 23 Principal Commodities (PCs) in APEDA's export basket, 18 exhibited positive growth. Notably, 13 out of 15 large PCs, with exports exceeding USD 100 million in the previous year, experienced positive growth, with an average growth rate of 12 per cent, the figures show.

During the fiscal year 2022-23, India's agricultural exports had reached USD 53.1 billion, with APEDA's commodity basket contributing a significant 51 per cent of India's Agri-exports.