Import as well as export of agri commodities including food-grains & value-added food products etc. are not carried out by the Central Government on its own account. Import/export of agri commodities is primarily undertaken by private entrepreneurs as per their commercial prudence, inter-alia, taking into account domestic demand/requirement. The details of import of food-grains and value-added food products like packed foods etc., during last three years are as follow;
India's Import of Foodgrains (Value in Rs. Crore)
DESCRIPTION
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23(Upto Oct 22)
Value
RICE
78.75
24.67
49.80
21.42
WHEAT
4.63
0.01
0.18
0.20
OTHER CEREALS (RYE, BARLEY, OATS, MAIZE, GRAIN SORGHUM, BUCKWHEAT, JAWAR, BAJRA, RAGI, CANARY SEEDS etc.)
1221.12
331.10
369.96
602.31
PULSES
10221.45
11937.59
16627.58
6381.73
Total Foodgrains
11525.95
12293.37
17047.52
7005.66
Source: DGCIS
India's Import of Value-added food products such as packed foods etc. (Value in Rs. Crore)
PREPARATIONS OF MEAT OF FISH OR OF CRUSTACEANS
53.42
58.43
91.41
41.33
SUGARS AND SUGAR CONFECTIONERY
3208.78
5574.78
2242.33
1987.45
COCOA AND COCOA PREPARATIONS
1833.97
2021.27
2713.93
2041.97
PREPARATIONS OF CEREALS, FLOUR, STARCH OR MIILK; PASTRY
729.24
877.13
1157.44
774.42
PREPARATIONS OF VEGETABLES, FRUITS, NUTS OR OTHER PARTS
791.29
648.59
997.06
674.27
MISCELLANEOUS EDIBLE PREPARATIONS
1419.86
1450.90
1883.58
981.10
BEVERAGES, SPIRITS AND VINEGAR
5632.91
4838.21
6544.88
5185.32
RESIDUES AND WASTE FROM THE FOOD INDUSTRIES; PREPARED ANIMA
5065.63
4973.48
9291.15
4032.84
Total
18735.11
20442.78
24921.78
15718.70
India is a net exporter of wheat, rice and other food grains such as rye, maize, sorghum, buckwheat, jawar, bajra, ragi and their import is negligible. In so far as pulses are concerned, the domestic demand exceeds indigenous production, necessitating imports. However, the production of pulses is gradually increasing (23.03 Million Tonnes in 2019-20 to 27.69 Million Tonnes in 2021-22).
The Government has been implementing National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and also providing funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to States for improving the production of food grains including pulses. Domestic cultivation is also being encouraged through various other Central Sector Schemes of DA&FW viz. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan).
This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.