In 2023-24, India’s agriculture exports amounted to $48.8 billion (Rs 4.1 lakh crore), 8 per cent lower than the previous year, one of the many reasons being restrictions on export of several agri commodities. India is a small player in the global agriculture produce trade now (less than 3 per cent share), but there is huge potential, provided it can produce reliable surpluses in agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries and horticulture. Building modern infrastructure for the product categories in which we are globally competitive will be crucial in this. In the 10 years of the UPA government, agriculture exports rose from $8.7 billion (Rs 72,867 crore) in 2004-05 to $43.3 billion (Rs 3.6 lakh crore) in 2013-14. Since then, growth has been muted, initially due to depressed global prices and, lately, due to adverse weather conditions, which persuaded the government to impose restrictions on export of wheat, rice, sugar and even onions.
