The ministry of agriculture, consumer affairs, food & public distribution, said that exports of fresh fruit and vegetables from India increased by over 9% in the first 10 months of the 2008-09 financial year (April-January 2008-09), compared with the exports for the whole of fiscal 2007-08.
In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Prof. MV Thomas, minister of agriculture, consumer affairs and food & public distribution, said that the country's fresh fruit and vegetables export to Asian and African countries registered 2,026,145 tonnes accounting for Rs2,661.81 crore in the first 10 months of fiscal 2008-09. In the last fiscal (2007-2008), the registered fruit and vegetables exports was about 1,724,573 tonnes worth Rs 2,437.33 crore.
Major importers of Indian fruits and vegetables are Bangladesh, UAE, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
"In the April 08-January 09, Bangladesh accounted for 689,193 tonnes valued at Rs709.77 crore, UAE stood at 390,321 tonnes valued at Rs475.91 crore, Kuwait imported 32,031 tonnes of fruits and vegetables worth a total Rs51.36 crore, Saudi Arabia accounted for exports of 46,854 tonnes worth Rs96.20 crore, Malaysia imported 240,997 tonne worth Rs267.41 core and Sri Lanka accounted for export of 147,756 tonnes of fruits and vegetables worth Rs156.45 core," Prof. Thomas said in the Parliament.
The share of fruits was lower at 22,806 tonnes valued at Rs240.03 crore in April-January 2008-09 against 64,634 tonnes valued at Rs401.94 crore for the fiscal 2007-08, whereas vegetables share increased to 22,806 tonnes valued at Rs64.94 crore in April-January 2008-09 from 27,177 tonnes valued at Rs7.43 crore in the whole of 2007-08.
Further, the minister also informed that India's fruits and vegetables exports to the European Union countries declined in April 08- January 09 to 592,72 tonnes from 91,811 tonnes during the same period in 2007-08.
Source : fnbnews.com