India, Russia discuss falling agri exports

The government is taking up with Russia the slump over recent years in India's agricultural exports.

At a recent meeting with representatives of Russia's phytosanitary (quality monitoring) body, Rosselkhoznadzor, the government sought an expansion in the permissible number of commodities and exporters.

Delhi is primarily looking to enhance export of dairy products, buffalo meat, groundnut, fish and sea food. "Russia has accepted Indian Veterinary Service proposals for inclusion into the protocol on dairy product import from India," said a senior government official.

With a meeting scheduled this month of the Russia-India Intergover-nmental Commission on trade and economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, both governments are likely to allow creation of a sub-group on agricultural products. This would allow regular discussion on cooperation between the Russian and Indian bodies on veterinary science and phytosanitary standards. Data from the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) showed India's overall agri export declined 25 per cent in value terms to $146.7 mn in 2015-16 from the $195.4 mn in 2013-14. In volume terms, too, shipments fell by 25 per cent in these two years, from 214,198 tonnes in FY14 to 160,230 tonnes in FY16.

A note from Rosselkhoznadzor official Vasily Lavrovsky says India had yet to approve the standard form of the veterinary certificate for heat-treated dairy products. "Absence of a harmonised certificate might become an impediment for Indian dairy product import (into Russia)...two Indian plants interested in import of dairy products to the Russian market were included in (our) Register," he added.

As for export of buffalo meat, three of four producing units were subject to restrictions due to foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the areas where these were situated. India was requested to consider including three more buffalo meat producing plants.

Delhi also wanted an increase in Russian import of fish and seafood. Both parties have agreed on a visit of Indian specialists there or to send their specialists here, for training on safety assessment in these products.