Cabinet Approves Export of Processed and Value Added Agricultural Products even Cases of Restricted Primary Goods

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of the Department of Commerce for allowing the export of processed and/or value added agricultural products even in the event of restriction/ban on export of basic farm produce. The various products to be allowed are as under:

Name of Product	HS Code
Wheat of meslin flour	1101
Cereal flours other than of wheat or meslin (maize, oats etc.)	1102
Cereal groats, meal pellets	1103
Cereal grains otherwise worked except rice of heading No.1106; germ of cereals, whole, rolled, flaked or ground	1104
Other cereals item	1901 to 1905
Milk products including casein & casein products etc	3501
Butter and other fats derivatives from milk, dairy spread etc.	0405
Cheese and curd	0406
Value added products of onion	0712
Peanut butter	15179020

The export basket of India's major agricultural produce mainly comprise of raw/ primary, unprocessed or semi processed agriculture commodities/ products which are susceptible to restrictions/ bans owing to various reasons such as bad weather conditions, deficient/ delayed rainfall, food security issues etc. Generally such restrictions/ bans are made applicable across the products, whether processed or raw material.

The exports of processed and/or value added products constitute a very miniscule portion of the overall exports and hence their continuation would not affect the availability in the domestic market owing to very marginal processing capacity in the country. Always open policy of this sector will not only help reduce wastage of perishable products but also encourage value addition.

[Source: PIB (MoC&I) dated 17 January 2013]