India?s agriculture exports can be scaled up manifold through the adoption of the cluster model and increased investment in agriculture.

Currently, the country?s agriculture exports are to the tune of around Rs 40,000 – Rs 50,000 crore, but there is ample scope to increase it further, so much so that the country can feed the entire world, said Asit Tripathy, chairman, Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

He added that there was a huge opportunity to export mango and pomegranate from the Nasik-Pune belt, flowers from Bangalore, raw turmeric and ginger from Kerala, poultry from Tamil Nadu, mango pulp from Andhra Pradesh, litchis and bananas from Bihar. ?This is what we are talking about?India, which has one of the world?s largest acreage of arable land and the largest variety of agronomic conditions, could easily scale up agriculture exports,? Tripathy said.

Calling for the adoption of the Maharashtra model of clusters to scale up farm exports, Tripathy said if that model was replicated across the country then India could have a virtual monopoly over many crops. ?We grow some good varieties of bananas and pineapples in Kerala and the Northeast. If all these areas were properly nurtured then the farm export would rise several notches,? he said, adding that the role of state governments was vital as agriculture was a state subject.

On the impediments in realising the country?s potential, Tripathy said that small-holdings and a lack of supply chains stifled export growth. ?In India, every farmer is on his own, except perhaps the cooperatives?What is needed for exports, is to create agricultural growth for the benefit of the farmers,? Tripathy said.

According to APEDA, the export of agricultural and processed food products is expected to be more than Rs 26,900 crore during 2008-09, up from Rs 24,384 crore in 2007-8, an increase of over 10%. However India?s share in the global trade of agri-processed products is only about 1.6 %.

Fifteen countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, South Africa account for more than 63% of India?s exports of fruits, vegetables and other agri-products.