NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s agricultural exports will rise in fiscal 2023/24 from last year despite curbs on wheat, rice and sugar, the nation’s trade minister said on Monday, amid efforts to diversify shipments.

The world’s second-largest producer of wheat, rice and sugar, India restricted exports of these commodities last year in a bid to rein in rising domestic prices.

These restrictions are likely to cause a shortfall of about $4 billion to $5 billion this year, Reuters reported last month.

“We had agri exports in the aggregate of about $53 billion in 2022/23, and we expect the number to increase in the current year despite the restrictions placed on export of rice, wheat or sugar,” trade minister Piyush Goyal said in his address to a conference in New Delhi.

Data from state-run trade body APEDA showed that exports of meat and dairy, cereal preparations, and fruits and vegetables rose between April and November this year.

(Reporting by Shivangi Acharya; Editing by Varun H K)

Published Date: January 8, 2024