Agricultural Imports

Major agro products imported in the country are edible vegetable oils, pulses, fresh fruits, raw cashew nuts, raw sugar, raw cotton and spices which, in value terms, constitute nearly 84% share in India’s total agri imports.

India has surplus in Agri Trade. The major imports are vegetable oils and National Mission for Oilseeds and Oil Palm is being implemented to address it. Enhanced production and productivity of crops is one of the most important measures to reduce dependency on agricultural imports. As such, for increasing production and productivity of agro products including oilseeds, food grains, pulses, fruits and spices etc. Government implements various programmes/schemes, viz. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), NFSM- Oil seeds and oil palm, Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Pradhan Mantri KrishiSinchai Yojana (PMKSY), Soil Health Card etc. In addition, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities (SAU) have developed a number of improved varieties/hybrid seeds to enhance production and productivity. Under the NFSM (Oilseeds & Oil Palm) assistance is being provided to the farmers on various items such as certified seed distribution, planting material, demonstrations, IPM, INM, PP Chemicals, Various farm implements, training of farmers, irrigation devices and local initiatives to increase oilseeds production.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha on 23 September 2020.