The Economic Survey has noted that though there has been some diversification in agricultural products exported and spread of destinations, bulk of the exports still conforms to traditional items.Indian exporters are required to improve their processing and packaging facilities to meet international quality standards.
In 1997-98, agricultural exports were valued at $ 6.4 billionh in which crop based exports coffee, tea, rice, oil extraction, cashew, spices, cotton added up to over three-forth of all agricultural exports. Agricultural export in country's total export was 17 to 20 per cent annually during the period 1993-94 to 1997-98.
India has the potential of exporting at least 2 million tonne of rice annually including 5 lakh tonne of high value long grain basmati rice. In 1998 over 2 million tonne of rice has already been exported till November 1998.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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