The Union Government is working on an agricultural export policy that is aimed at boosting exports of agricultural products that would benefit farmers across the country. Sources have revealed that the agricultural export policy may well be notified in a couple of months. Sources close to the development informed Zee Business's Suman Agrawal that the government may roll out an agriculture export policy in the next couple of months. The sources added that the draft will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval in a few weeks.  The policy is being designed with an aim to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of doubling farmer's income. Earlier on March 19, 2018, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has come up with a draft “Agriculture Export Policy” which is aimed at doubling the agricultural exports and integrate Indian farmers and agricultural products to the global value chain.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

According to the sources, the drafted agriculture export policy will be sent for an inter-ministerial consultation in next 2-3 weeks. Later, it will be sent to the Union Cabinet for the final nod. The drafted policy says that the reforms will be brought in certain areas like Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and digitization as well as Strong Quality Regimen. It says that a sea protocol will be developed to support the policy. Apart from this, the drafted policy calls for the creation of a research and development testing labs with strong infrastructure in North Eastern region to support export of organic produce.

After being implemented the policy is likely to boost agricultural exports by 16-20 per cent in the financial year 2018-19. In addition, the policy will also uplift the agri-export up to 60 billion dollars by 2022-23.  The data available at present suggests that the agricultural exports from the country have gone down to $35 billion in this fiscal from $42.6 billion in FY 2013-14.