New Delhi, June 16: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said the first commercial consignment of cherries from Jammu and Kashmir has been shipped to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The commerce minister tweeted on the social media platform ‘X’, “So much to CHEER!
The first commercial consignment of premium cherries from Jammu and Kashmir heads to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. A huge market opens up for our cherry farmers, who will now get a better price for their produce.”
The minister also believes that this commercial consignment is a significant fillip for the vocal for local campaign.
Talking about this, the minister expressed on ‘X’ that, “The Modi government has been bridging logistical gaps to position India as a global supplier of premium agri-products.
According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the cumulative exports (merchandise & services) during FY 2024-25 (April-March) are estimated to grow by 5.50% to USD 820.93 billion, as compared to USD 778.13 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March).
Out of it, Fruits & Vegetables witnessed a rise in exports by 5.67 per cent from USD 3.66 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March) to USD 3.87 billion in FY 2024-25 (April-March).
“The vast production base offers India tremendous export opportunities. During 2023-24, India exported fresh fruits and vegetables 1814.58 USD Millions, which comprised Fresh Fruits and vegetables,” according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
“Grapes, Pomegranates, Mangoes, Bananas, and Oranges account for the larger portion of fruits exported from the country, while Onions, Mixed Vegetables, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Green Chilly Contribute largely to the vegetable export basket,” it added.