**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 415 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 2, 2025, regarding agro-food exports. It addresses the government's acknowledgment of Maharashtra's export growth, the role of export promotion schemes, support for specific constituencies, perishable goods clearance, support for agro-export clusters, and a roadmap for agro-exports growth. The response details the increase in India's agricultural exports and APEDA's role in promoting them.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Overall Export Growth:** India's exports of all agricultural and food products have grown by 8.81% in 2024-25, valued at Rs. 4,39,575.30 Crores.
* **APEDA's Contribution:** Exports under APEDA's Schedule grew by 13.91%, valued at Rs. 2,42,222.66 Crores, in the same period.
* **State-Wise Data:** The government maintains total export records but lacks validated state-wise data for agricultural and food products, relying on state-of-origin codes from shipping bills.
* **APEDA's Export Promotion:** APEDA provides financial assistance through its Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme (FAS).
* **Financial Assistance Scheme:** The scheme operates under three components within the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26): Development of Export Infrastructure, Quality Development, and Market Development. Scheme guidelines are available online.
* **APEDA's Scheme Reach:** APEDA provides financial assistance based on the eligibility of submitted applications.
* **Support in Nandurbar District:** APEDA has conducted three programs in Nandurbar district for scheme dissemination, training, and capacity building, covering 289 stakeholders.
* **Enhanced Assistance:** ST beneficiaries, including those in Maharashtra, receive up to 75% of the eligible project cost.
* **JNPA Infrastructure Upgrade:** The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has upgraded road infrastructure, including an eight-lane main road and dedicated access roads, enhancing perishable goods clearance.
* **Green Lane Facilities:** Two major terminals, BMCTPL and APM Terminals, operate with Green Lane facilities, handling approximately 70% of JNPA's total volume.
* **Districts as Export Hubs (DEH):** The DEH initiative aims to foster district-level export growth by identifying products and services with export potential.
* **District Export Action Plans (DEAPs):** Formulating DEAPs in coordination with State Governments to address gaps in infrastructure, logistics, standardization, branding, market access, and capacity-building.
* **Emphasis on MSMEs:** The DEH framework focuses on integrating artisans, MSMEs, and first-time exporters into domestic and global markets.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Exporters**
*Impact*: Enhanced access to financial assistance for export promotion.
*Action Required*: Submit eligible applications to APEDA's FAS to avail financial assistance.
**Stakeholder: Farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)**
*Impact*: Enhanced training and capacity building in the export value chain, particularly in Nandurbar district.
*Action Required*: Participate in APEDA-led programs for skill development and scheme awareness.
**Stakeholder: State Governments**
*Impact*: Collaboration with the central government to implement export promotion schemes.
*Action Required*: Coordinate with APEDA to ensure convergence in efforts to support stakeholders and formulate District Export Action Plans (DEAPs).
**Stakeholder: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA)**
*Impact*: Improved infrastructure for faster clearance of perishable goods.
*Action Required*: Maintain and optimize upgraded infrastructure to support efficient export operations.
**Stakeholder: Artisans, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)**
*Impact*: Increased integration into domestic and global markets.
*Action Required*: Leverage the DEH framework to address gaps in infrastructure, logistics, and market access.
Key Entities Referenced
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): Statutory body responsible for export promotion of scheduled products, playing a significant role in managing export promotion schemes and providing financial assistance.
Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme (FAS): A scheme by APEDA providing financial assistance to exporters for promotion of scheduled products.
Districts as Export Hubs (DEH): A Government of India initiative to foster district-level export growth through identification of export potential and formulation of District Export Action Plans.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry: The primary ministry responsible for matters relating to commerce and industry, including agro-food exports.
Maharashtra: A state in India highlighted for achieving a significant increase in agro-food exports, the focus of the unstarred question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 415
ANSWERED ON 02/12/2025
AGRO-FOOD EXPORTS
415. ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI
Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री) be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the recent data showing that
Maharashtra has achieved a 15% increase in agro-food exports in FY 2024-25,
reaching roughly 47,017 crore, thereby strengthening its export profile, if so, the details
thereof;
(b) the details of the portion of this growth is attributed to export promotion schemes
managed by the Ministry (such as APEDA) and coordination with State agencies;
(c) whether specific support is planned for constituencies like Nandurbar (which have
agro/horticulture strength) to link local production to export value-chains, if so, the
details thereof;
(d) the framework the Ministry will adopt to enhance perishable-goods green-lane
clearances (e.g., via JNPT) to reduce spoilage and improve competitiveness;
(e) whether the Ministry intends to support agro-export clusters in remote or tribal districts
of Maharashtra with infrastructure, certification and market link-ups and if so, the
details thereof; and
(f) the timeline by which the Ministry will publish a district-wise roadmap of agro-exports
growth in Maharashtra and the expected quantum for 2025-26?
ANSWER
वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्यमंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) to (f) India’s exports of all Agricultural and food products have grown by 8.81% in 2024-
25, valued at Rs. 4,39,575.30 Crores, while exports of Agricultural and food products under
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)’s
Schedule have grown by 13.91%, valued at Rs. 2,42,222.66 Crores, in the same period.
The government maintains record of total exports of Agricultural and food products from India.
The data for State wise exports of Agricultural and food products including from the State of
Maharashtra is not maintained in absence of validation, as these are based on the state-of-
origin code reported by the exporters in the shipping bills.
For export promotion of its’ Scheduled products, APEDA provides financial assistance to the
exporters under its Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme (FASScheme), for the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26) in three components:
(i) Development of Export Infrastructure, (ii) Quality Development, (iii) Market Development.
The scheme is implemented in close coordination with the State Governments and their
related agencies, to ensure convergence in effort and support to the stakeholders, for
enhanced outcomes. Scheme guidelines are available at
https://apeda.gov.in/FinancialAssistanceSchemes.
APEDA’s Financial Assistance scheme is a demand driven scheme, wherein assistance is
provided to the beneficiaries whose submitted applications were found eligible for financial
assistance. However, for scheme dissemination and training and capacity building of
stakeholders in the export value chain of Agri and Food products, a total of 3 programs have
been conducted by APEDA, in Nandurbar district, in the current financial year, till date,
covering 289 stakeholders, including FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations), FPCs (Farmer
Producer Companies), startups, women entrepreneurs, farmers etc. An enhanced level of
assistance of upto 75% of the eligible project cost, is provided to ST beneficiaries, including
those in Maharashtra, under the scheme.
For faster clearance of perishable goods at JNPA (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority), the Port
has upgraded its road infrastructure, including an eight-lane main road connecting all
terminals and dedicated four to six-lane access roads. These, along with a Centralised
Parking Plaza for 2,000 trailers and a 24×7 traffic-management team, effectively serve as
“Green Lanes”. Further, two major terminals, the BMCTPL (Bharat Mumbai Container
Terminals Private Limited) and APM Terminals already operate with these Green Lane
facilities, handling about 70% of JNPA’s total volume.
The Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) is an initiative of the Government of India, aimed at
fostering district-level export growth through the identification of products and services with
demonstrable export potential. The initiative seeks to strengthen local value chains by
formulating District Export Action Plans (DEAPs) in coordination with State Governments,
with a view to addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, logistics, standardization, branding,
market access and capacity-building. The DEH framework also places emphasis on enabling
artisans, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and first-time exporters to integrate
more effectively into domestic and global markets.
******