According to government figures, India's agricultural and processed-food exports grew 21.8 percent in dollar terms between April and August 2021 compared to the same period the previous year, despite pandemic-related disruptions.

 

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority's "quick estimates" of exports increased to $7,902 million in April-August 2021 from $6,485 million in April-August 2020.

 

The increase in agricultural and processed food exports over the first five months of the current fiscal year "continues the development in exports seen in the financial year 2020-21," according to an official statement.

 

According to the data, rice exports increased by 13.7 percent from $3,359 million in April-August 2020 to $3,820 million in April-August 2021.

 

Fruit and vegetable exports increased by 6.1 percent in dollar terms, while exports of "other cereals" increased by 142.1 percent. The report indicated that exports of meat, dairy, and poultry products climbed by 31.1 percent in the first five months of the current fiscal year (2021-22).

 

Farm revenue is heavily reliant on exports. India's agricultural exports increased fivefold from $8.7 billion in 2004-05 to $42.6 billion in 2013-14. They subsequently plummeted to $33 billion in 2016-17, and have remained relatively stable since then. Farm exports are showing signs of reversing their stagnation.

 

According to official figures, the government exported farm produce worth nearly $42 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2021, an increase of about 18% due to a surge in global commodity prices.