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Agricultural News
In Overseas Markets Apeda Plans Retail Push for Basmati.
The Agricultural Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) plans to launch a campaign in key markets such
as Saudi Arabia and Iran, in a bid to promote the basmati exports in retail packs with Indian brands.
Now a major chunk of the exports are shipped in bulk form and sold under private labels owned by the importers.
To boost the shipments of the basmati rice Apeda has invited expression of interest from agencies to launch this
promotional strategy. Basmati holds a major place in Apeda’s export basket accounting for close to a fourth of the
total shipments in value terms.
AK Gupta, Advisor, Apeda said "We are working with the All India Rice Exporters Association on this proposed
campaign, which may be launched early next year. Initially, the campaign is proposed to be undertaken in Saudi
Arabia and Iran, which account for over 50 per cent of the total exports.”
According to Apeda data, Basmati rice exports have seen a major increase over the past few years from about seven
lakh tonnes in 2000 to over 37 lakh tonnes (lt) in 2015. In the current financial year for the April-August
period, basmati shipments have seen an increase of 17 per cent in volume terms at 16.78 lt against 14.35 lt in
the corresponding period last year.
Meanwhile, Iran is yet to resume the imports of Indian basmati, which it had banned mid-November last year to
protect the interests of local growers on higher domestic output and stocks. Iran imported about 9.35 lt of
basmati in 2014-15, accounting for about a fourth of the Indian shipments.