Processed food products exports surge 15% in April
By Sandip Das
India’s export of agricultural and processed food products have commenced on a brisk note in the current fiscal with the shipments rising by over 15% to $2.13 billion in April, 2025 on year.
The rise in farm-sector shipments were driven primarily by a sharp increase in exports of rice, meat and fruits and vegetables last month.
The rice exports, including basmati and non-basmati varieties, rose by over 13% to $ 1.08 billion in April, 2025 compared to previous year. In FY25, the rice exports were at a record $ 12.47 billion, an increase of over 20% compared to 2023-24.
“We anticipate rice exports to grow in the range of 10% – 15% in the current fiscal because of a possibility of a surge in global demand due geo-political reasons,” Amit Goel, managing director, KNAM foods, an exporter of basmati rice, told FE.
The government started easing restrictions on rice exports in September 2024 on prospects of bumper output and significantly higher stocks, around a year after they were imposed. It has since removed all export restrictions, including the minimum export price, on rice shipments.
Trade sources say India’s dominance in global rice trade has been restored with a spike in shipments, especially to Africa and Southeast Asian countries. India has been the largest exporter of rice for a decade now.
With a projection of bumper harvest due to prospects of above normal monsoon rains this season, the rice output and exports is likely to rise in the current fiscal.
According to data provided by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, the shipment of fresh fruits and vegetables in April, 2025 increased by over 30% to $0.38 billion, and cereals preparation by more than 7% to $0.26 billion.
The exports of buffalo meat, dairy and poultry products last month rose by close to 16% on year to $0.37 billion compared to April, 2024.
Officials said that in the past decade, there has been a rise in demand for the Indian bovine meat across the globe due to its quality and nutrient value.
The exports of products under the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) basket rose to $25.14 billion during the 2024-25, an increase of over 12% on year.
The share of exports of products under the APEDA basket is around 51% in the total shipments of agricultural produce. The rest of the agricultural product exports include marine, tobacco, coffee, and tea.
This article has been republished from The Financial Express.