Largest Exporter of Cucumbers: India

25 Jan 2022 Largest Exporter of Cucumbers: India

• Recently India has become the largest exporter of cucumber in the world. India exported 1,23,846 MT of cucumber and garkin during April-October (2020-21) with a value of US$ 114 million.
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has taken several initiatives to develop infrastructure and enhance the quality of processed cucumbers, promote the product in the international market and implement food safety management systems in processing units.

Gurkin Cucumber:

• The term ‘garkin’ is generally used for pickled cucumbers that are salty. Gurkins and commercial cucumbers belong to the same species (Cucumis sativus) but belong to different cultivar groups.
• Cucumber cultivation, processing and export began in India in the 1990s with a small scale in Karnataka and later expanded to the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Ideal type of soil is found in these areas for cultivation of cucumber and the desirable temperature here is not less than 15 degree centigrade and not more than 35 degree centigrade, which makes these areas favorable for cucumber cultivation.
• India produces about 15% of the global demand for cucumbers.
• Cucumber is currently exported to more than 20 countries, with major destinations being North America, European countries and oceanic countries such as the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Spain, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Russia, China , Sri Lanka and Israel.

Importance:

• Cucumber is grown in contract with small and marginal farmers. Presently, more than 1,00,000 small and marginal farmers produce cucumber.
• It is the industry which has demonstrated the right and successful model of contract farming, as a result of which this industry is able to maintain good quality on the final produce as per the requirement of the international market.
• Contract agriculture can be defined as an agreement between farmers and processing and/or marketing firms to produce and supply agricultural products under advance agreements, often based on predetermined prices.
• Indian Cucumbers are exported with a value of more than Rs.700 crores every year with ever-increasing demand due to the quality assurance given by the manufacturers.
• Apart from its export potential, the cucumber industry plays an important role in the generation of rural employment.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

• It is an authority established by an Act of Parliament and under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of scheduled products such as fruits, vegetables, meat products, dairy products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages etc.
• APEDA has also been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the import of sugar.

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