30 Jan 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Marine Products exports registers growth
2. Exports of Ready To Eat products rises
3. National Commission for Women

1. Marine Products exports registers growth

Syllabus: GS 3; Economics of Animal-Rearing- Aquaculture

Prelims: Marine Products Exports

Mains: Exports of Marine Products and various government initiatives.

Context

Exports of Marine Products registered a growth of 35% to $6.1 Billion during April-December 2021 as compared to $4.5 Billion during the same period in the year 2020.

Exports of Marine Products from India

• Previously, the exports stood at $4.4 Billion in 2014 and $5.5 Billion in 2019, the exports of Marine Products registered a significant growth in 2021.
• In the month of December 2021, exports of Marine Products touched $720.51 Million, registering a growth of 01% compared to $562.85 Mn in December 2020.
• The overall exports of Marine Products in the Financial Year March 2020 to April 2021 was $5.96 Billion.
• $6.11 Billion has already been scaled during the first three Quarters of Financial Year 2021-22.
• The sector is likely to exceed the all-time high of $7.02 Billion exports achieved in the FY 2017-18, despite the impact of the Covid19 pandemic.

Top export destinations

• USA
• China
• Japan
• Vietnam
• Thailand

Top export items

• Frozen shrimps- 74% share in value terms (USD)
• Frozen Fish (7%)
• Frozen Squid (5%)
• Others (6%)

Government Initiatives in support of exports of Marine Products

• Marine Products Export Development Authority
  • Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), is a statutory body set up in 1972 under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
  • Objective: Promotion of export of marine products from India.
  • It regulates exports of marine products and takes all measures required for ensuring sustained, quality seafood exports from the country.
  • It is also empowered to carry out inspection of marine products, its raw material, fixing standards, specifications, and training as well as take all necessary steps for marketing the seafood overseas.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched in 2020 with an array of 100 diverse activities.
  • With a budget of Rs. 20,050 crore, it is the largest investment to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India.
  • PMMSY is being implemented over a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories.
  • PMMSY has set a target of Rs. 1,00,000 crore fisheries export, an additional 70 lakh tonnes of fish production, and generation of 55 lakh employment.
  • Read more about- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

2. Exports of Ready To Eat products rises

Syllabus: GS 3; Food processing and related industries in India

Prelims: Facts regarding Ready to Eat products

Mains: Exports of Ready to Eat products and various initiatives of APEDA.

Context

India’s export of final consumer food products such as Ready to Eat (RTE), Ready to Cook (RTC) and Ready to Serve (RTS) under the APEDA has registered a significant growth in the last decade.

Details

• Due to policy interventions on Value Addition of products for exports, the food products under the RTE category have registered a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12%
• The share of RTE in APEDA export has increased from 2.1% to 5%.
• India has exported over $2.14 billion worth of final food products in 2020-21.
• Since final food products are time saving and readily available, the demand for food items under the categories of RTE, RTC and RTS has increased manifold in recent years.

Source: PIB

Ready to Eat Category

• The products includes,
  • Biscuits & Confectionery – Accounts to 52.32% share in RTE export
  • Indian Sweets and Snacks – 37.04%
  • Breakfast Cereals – 4.11%
  • Pan Masala and Betal nuts – 3.28%
  • Wafers – 1.73%
  • Jaggery – 1.52%
• Top destinations
  • S.A, U.A.E, Nepal, Canada, Sri Lanka, Australia, Sudan, U.K, Nigeria, and Singapore.
  • USA is the top importing country in four categories of RTE products such as Biscuits & Confectionery, Breakfast cereals, Indian sweets and snacks, and Pan Masala & Betal Nuts.
  • The remaining two products under RTE are significantly imported by Malaysia and Nepal.

Ready to Cook Category

• The products includes,
  • Flours and milled products – Accounts to 34.34% share in RTC export
  • Ready to cook – 31.69%
  • Powder & starch – 24.28%
  • Papad – 9.68%
• Top destinations
  • S.A, Malaysia, U.A.E, Indonesia, UK, Nepal, Canada, Australia, Bangladesh and Qatar.
  • USA is the top importing country of Flours and Milled Products and Ready to Cook from India in 2020-21
  • The UK and Indonesia are at the top in importing Papad and Powder & Starch during 2020-21.

Ready to Serve Category

• The major final food products under the RTS category include – jellies, squash & juices, energy products/drinks and ice cream, soups, sauces, pasta and seasoning.
• The exports of RTS have been growing at a CAGR of 11% in the last one decade.

Initiatives to promote exports

The rise in export of agricultural and processed food products has been attributed to the various initiatives taken by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) like,

• Organizing B2B exhibitions in different countries
• Exploring new potential markets through product specific and general marketing campaigns by active involvement of Indian Embassies.
• Promotion of geographical indications (GI) registered agricultural and processed food products in India by organizing virtual Buyer Seller Meets on agricultural and food products with the major importing countries across the world.
• APEDA has recognized 220 labs across India to provide testing services to a wide range of products and exporters.
• APEDA also assists in upgradation and strengthening of recognized laboratories for export testing and residue monitoring plans.
• APEDA provides assistance under the financial assistance schemes of infrastructure development, quality improvement and market development for boosting export of agricultural products.

Read about APEDA

3. National Commission for Women

Syllabus: GS 2; Polity; Statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies.

Prelims: National Commission for Women

Mains: Objectives and functions of National Commission for Women

Context

• The Prime Minister will address the 30th National Commission for Women (NCW) Foundation Day programme on 31st January, 2022.
• The theme of the programme is ‘She The Change Maker’

National Commission for Women

• The National Commission for Women (NCW) was set up as a statutory body in 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
• Objectives:
  • Review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women
  • Recommend remedial legislative measures
  • Facilitate redressal of grievances
  • Advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women
• Key Functions:
  • Investigate and examine matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws.
  • Make recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for improving the conditions of women.
  • Review the existing provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments
  • Take up cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution and of other laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities.
• Read more about – National Commission for Women

Read previous PIB here.

January 30th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here