India’s maize exports at all-time high of $816.31mn in Apr-Jan, way above $634.85mn in entire FY21

The export of maize has touched $816.31mn in the first ten months of the current fiscal 2021-22 (April-January), already exceeding the $634.85mn achieved during the last financial year. This was stated in a press release from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on March 20.

From an exports realization of $142.8mn in 2019-20, the export of maize increased nearly sixfold, taking the total value of shipment to $1593.73mn in the last three years despite logistical challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

Neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal are the major importers of maize from India. Bangladesh has imported maize worth $345.5mn in the current fiscal (April-January), while Nepal has imported maize worth $132.16mn during this period.

With initiatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to explore and diversify new markets, Vietnam has emerged as a major destination for the export of maize. India exported maize worth $244.24mn to Vietnam in the first ten months of the current fiscal. Other prominent importing countries are Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Taiwan, Oman, etc.

Maize, which is globally known as the queen of cereals, has emerged as one of the significant foreign-exchange earners under the commodities covered under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) ambit.

“The significant rise in agri-exports is seen as a testimony of the government’s commitment to increase farmers’ income through creating requisite infrastructure and improving value chains on boosting exports of agricultural and processed food products,” Dr M. Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA said.

Maize is the third most important cereal crop in India after rice and wheat. The cereal crop is primarily cultivated in the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

The rise in export of agricultural and processed food products has been largely due to the various initiatives taken by APEDA such as organizing B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product-specific and general marketing campaigns by the active involvement of Indian embassies.

In order to ensure seamless quality certification of products to be exported, APEDA has recognized 220 labs across India to provide services of testing to a wide range of products and exporters.

APEDA organizes the participation of exporters in the International Trade Fairs, which provides a platform to the exporters to market their food products in the global marketplace. APEDA also organizes national events like AAHAR, Organic World Congress, BioFach India etc. to promote agri-exports.