India's Agricultural Exports Face Quality Challenges

India is a major agricultural producer and exporter, but it faces challenges in meeting international quality standards.

In 2024-25, India produced a record 357.7 million metric tonnes of foodgrains and exported agricultural products worth $51.1 billion.

However, many of these exports are rejected by countries like Japan, China, and the EU due to issues like excessive pesticide residues and improper fumigation.

The EU, which is a significant market for Indian agricultural products, has flagged 2,028 Indian shipments for potential risks since 2020.

The main products rejected include herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, cereals, and bakery products.

One of the reasons for these rejections is the divergence in pesticide residue limits between India and international markets.

For example, the EU and Japan have much stricter limits for ethylene oxide (EtO) than India.

Additionally, India lacks sufficient testing laboratories to ensure compliance with international standards.

To address these issues, India needs to align its domestic standards with global best practices, establish more testing labs, and improve farmer training and post-harvest handling.