51.5% agri exports from just 5 products

New Delhi: India’s agri export basket is dependent on just five commodities including rice and sugar and this makes the sector vulnerable to fluctuations in global prices and demand, a report by economic think tank GTRI said on Monday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said these five products -- basmati rice, non-basmati rice, sugar, spices, and oil meals - account for 51.5 per cent of India’s total agriculture exports.

Furthermore, India grapples with various domestic challenges including infrastructural deficits, quality control issues, and non-tariff barriers, all of which impede the growth and competitiveness of its agricultural sector, it said. “This makes them (agri exports) vulnerable to fluctuations in global prices and demand,” it said, adding these commodities also face frequent export bans in India.