Synopsis
Experts believe that achieving a $100 billion target for agricultural exports by 2030 is possible through decisive, bold actions. Improving infrastructure and addressing policy gaps are crucial for enhancing farmers' incomes in India.Key Takeaways
- Bold policies are necessary to achieve the $100 billion target.
- Existing agricultural infrastructure must be upgraded.
- A shift from a producer-centric to a consumer-oriented approach is essential.
- A stable policy environment is crucial for agri exports.
- Collaboration between government and industry stakeholders is necessary.
New Delhi, Jan 20 (NationPress) The aspiration of achieving $100 billion in agricultural exports by 2030 is within reach, contingent upon decisive and ambitious actions, according to experts. Bridging policy gaps and establishing essential connections for agricultural products can enhance the earnings of Indian farmers.
These insights emerged during a recent roundtable discussion on Enhancing India’s Agricultural Exports through Infrastructure Transformation, organized in Delhi by the newly established Centre for Agri Infrastructure Research and Action (CAIRA), an initiative of The Infravision Foundation.
Key public sector figures, including Subrata Gupta, Secretary of Food Processing; Santosh Sarangi, Director General of Foreign Trade; Siraj Chaudhry, Country Chairman of SATS India; Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA; and Siraj Hussain, former Union Agriculture Secretary, participated in the roundtable.
The speakers advocated for the enhancement of existing agricultural infrastructure to facilitate widespread implementation of resilient farming techniques and ensure that India’s exports align with the evolving demands of the global market.
A shift from a producer-centric model focused on food security to a consumer-oriented policy that emphasizes demand is essential for improving agricultural exports.
This transition requires a stable and coherent policy framework and a unified vision that aligns targeted commodities and production quantities for exports with the preferences and demands of importing countries and markets, as highlighted by experts.
Agriculture constitutes 18.2 percent of India’s GDP and provides livelihoods for over 42 percent of the population, underscoring its critical importance to the nation’s economy.
Despite being the 8th largest exporter of agricultural commodities globally, Indian farmers face numerous challenges stemming from infrastructural deficiencies and limited market access. Although India excels in certain export categories, its productivity lags behind global benchmarks.
Experts called for the establishment of supportive ecosystems for agricultural and marine exports to thrive.
This entails a cohesive vision across ministries, a stable export policy landscape, modernization of cold chain, storage, and logistics infrastructure, and a balanced approach to cultivating large land clusters.
The event also featured the unveiling of CAIRA's inaugural Background Paper, which emphasized the urgent requirement for infrastructural reforms to bolster global supply chains originating from India.
The document outlined actionable strategies to modernize ports, enhance cold chain systems, and incorporate advanced technologies such as blockchain and IoT to minimize post-harvest losses and boost supply chain transparency.
Participants at the roundtable underscored the pivotal role of the public sector while also warning against excessive government intervention.
Solutions provided by the public sector for private sector challenges should be utilized judiciously and precisely. Public focus should shift towards the mindset transformations necessary for evolving agricultural exports, notably through the adoption of policy clustering that encourages collaboration among various government entities and industry stakeholders.
CAIRA, launched by The Infravision Foundation (TIF), aims to revolutionize India’s agricultural export framework through research, policy advocacy, and practical solutions.
