Exports of processed tomato from India is a relatively recent phenomenon. While exports of tomato paste only touched the level of 68 thousand tonnes as against the target of one-lakh tonnes, this is a substantial jump from the base of 30 thousand tonnes. more info... Vegetable Export A sustaining export trade has to be built on a reliable production system. Production exclusively for export has to be organised with safeguards against adverse climatic conditions. The panicky stoppage of onion bulb exports last year serves as a lesson for all, including planners, farmers and marketing organisations, on the uncertain production base of exports of agricultural commodities. This is the second time during the last twenty years that internal scarcity has affected the exports. The present status of exports shows that fresh vegetables worth Rs. 316.53 crores and dried and preserved vegetable products worth of Rs.479.83 crores have been exported in 1997-98, less than the 1995-96 figure. The drop was mainly because of shortfall in potato and onion exports. The other vegetables exported were okra, bitter gourd, chillies, fresh beans, cucumber, gherkin and minor nontraditional ones like asparagus, celery, sweet corn, sweet pepper and baby corn. Onion and traditional vegetables are exported to Malaysia, Singapore, Gulf, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, while nontraditional kinds are sent to European countries and Australia, in addition to Gulf and SE Asia countries. The Agricultural and processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is coordinating export promotion programmes but sustainable trade with assured quality and quantity has not yet been developed. The present practice of exporting the available market surplus from Mumbai and Delhi will have to be changed, without any further loss of time. In Pune region, capsicum production has been organised exclusively for export to Australia and such attempts should be enlarged. Organic farming in a selective way can push up exports of fresh vegetables and sufficient R&D support needs to be generated.
Varieties of vegetables being exported and their share in total exports
India’s main export markets are in the order of Middle East, West Europe and S.E. Asia. But here too India’s exports are small with respect ot their total imports. But given the large and year round supply base and logistically favourable access to major importing markets India’s exports can achieve heights. Some of the importers of vegetables are as follows
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