India unlikely to be among top 3 agri exporters by 2020: Govt

As per WTO, India as ranks 7th largest exporter of agricultural products with value of exports at $43 bn in 2014

India is unlikely to become one of the top three agriculture export countries of the world by 2020 due to high domestic consumption base and limited arable land, Parliament was informed today.

"With high domestic consumption base and limited arable land, India is not likely to have adequate export surplus to become one of the top three agriculture export countries of the world by 2020," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

She was replying to a question whether the efforts are being made to make the country one of the top three agriculture exporting countries of the world by 2020.

As per WTO, India as ranks seventh largest exporter of agricultural products with value of exports at $43 billion in 2014.

The minister said export of agricultural products depends on various factors like availability of surplus over and above the requirement of buffer stock.

In a separate reply on closure of tea gardens in West Bengal, the minister said six gardens are at present closed and seven are not functioning properly.

"The closed gardens - Dheklapara, Bundapani, Dharanipur, Redbank, Surendranagar and Madhu are reported to be closed due to several reasons including poor yields, poor garden management," she added.

The seven gardens, including Birpara, Garganda and Tulsipara, are reported to be under stress as they have defaulted in payment of workers' dues in respect of bonus, wages and salary.