New Delhi, Jan 9 (KNN) Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu exhorted all State Governments to set up a nodal agency dedicated for the implementation of an agricultural export policy.

The Minister said that this is the first time that an agricultural export policy has been formulated and it is comprehensive involving all related sectors like R&D, clusters, logistics and transportation.

Prabhu was addressing the first national workshop on agricultural export policy, in New Delhi.

Further Prabhu said that workshops like these will help to identify bottlenecks, get feedback and suggestions to improve and overcome difficulties in the implementation of the policy.

The workshop was inaugurated by Prabhu.

The objectives of the policy are to double agricultural exports from present USD 30 billion to USD 60 billion by 2022 and reach USD 100 billion in the next few years, to diversify export basket, destinations and boost high value and value added agricultural exports including focus on perishables.

Other objectives are to promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic and non-traditional agricultural products, institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers/SPS, to strive to double India’s share in world agricultural exports by integrating with GVC and enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas markets.

During the workshop a MoU was signed between Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in order to meet the objectives of the agricultural export policy.

The vision of the policy is to harness the export potential of Indian agriculture, through suitable policy instruments and make India a global power in agriculture and double farmer’s income by 2022.

Agriculture is the key pillar of the Indian economy and there is an urgent need for reform in this sector where 60 % of the population of the country is dependent.

Diversification of the agricultural export basket and diversification of markets where exports can take place is the need of the hour. Average cost of production will have to be reduced so that India’s agricultural produce can complete in international market.

Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, C. R. Chaudhary, Secretary Department of Commerce, Dr. Anup Wadhawan, senior officials of various departments of Government of India, State Governments, agricultural experts and exporters attended the workshop.