Total exports of oilseeds including sesame seed, groundnuts and niger seed increased by 25% at 5.29 lakh tonne valued at Rs 1,843 crores during the Financial Year 2006-07 as against 4.22 lakh tonne (Rs 1,324 crores) in 2005-06 thanks good demand from South East and Far East countries.
However, mustard seed exports declined by 4% in terms of quantity but increased by 18% in terms of value during the year.
Among the major oilseeds exports, groundnuts exports increased by 36% at 2.51 lakh tonne as against 1.85 lakh tonne while sesame seed exports also increased by 19% at 2.32 lakh tonne as against 1.96 lakh tonne in 2005-06. Niger seed exports were also increased by 8% at 30,016 tonne in 2006-07 from 27,715 tonne in 2005-06. Similarly, safflower seeds exports registered an increase of 27% and sunflower seed exports by 27% during the review year because of good demand from international market. On exports of sesame seeds, Sanjiv Sawla, chairman of Indian Oilseeds & Produce Exporters? Association (IOPEA) said that Indian exporters continued to maintain their share of business on the Korean tenders.
?The buying countries have increasingly become more and more fastidious about quality and we are losing out to EU which is the biggest and more lucrative market due to quality issues. Of all the markets, West Europe is more concerned about quality though USA and South Korea also join the fray. Groundnuts exports to EU during the year went down by 32% during the year,? said Sawla, at the Annual General Meeting of IOPEA held here on Saturday.
Commenting on impact of rupee appreciation on exports, he said: ?Our exporters are reluctant to sign new contracts with buyers due to the volatility in the foreign exchange with no visible sign of the rupee relenting. Exporters are dependent on indigenous raw materials due to which the ultimate sufferers will be farmers who will be able to realize only very low price as a consequence.?
He also said Service Tax still remained unsolved fully. Service Tax applied on exports of for many services availed by exporters have been removed. Still clarifications are being sought on many aspects which are to be cleared sooner than later. The government should extend the Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana Scheme (VKGUYS) facility to all oilseeds as that will help growers get bettered remunerative price for their produce.