Rice exports in April decline

Ashok B Sharma

New Delhi: The total value of agricultural exports in the first month of the current fiscal April at Rs 1,384.11 crore was lower by Rs 201.38 crore or 12.7 per cent as compared with the exports in April last year. The figures were arrived at as per the reports available with the directorate general of commercial intelligence services. The decline in exports of agricultural commodities in the beginning of the current fiscal year was primarily due to decline in exports of rice to Rs 184.21 crore and oil meals at Rs 80.35 crore. With ample wheat stocks in the country, wheat exports are being planned to new destinations like Turkey, Kazakhastan, Hungary and Ukraine in the next rabi marketing season. The percentage of agricultural exports in the total value of national exports during April 1999 also remained lower at 12.31 per cent as compared to 15.43 percent during April 1998.

Comparatively the value of agricultural produce imports during April 1999 increased to Rs 981.09 crore as compared to Rs 535.56 croreduring April 1999 because of higher imports of vegetable oils at Rs 419.96 crore, sugar at Rs 83.64 crore and cotton at Rs 67.61 crore despite the decline in imports of wheat by Rs 57.14 crore. The percentage of agricultural imports in the total value of national imports during April 1999 also remained higher at 7.28 per cent as compared to 3.91 per cent during April 1998. The directorate of agricultural marketing and inspection (DMI) administers the Agricultural Produce Grading and Marketing Act, 1937 as amended in 1986.

Top

Printer-friendly page