Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Department of Commerce, provides assistance to exporters of scheduled products of APEDA for promotion of exports. The details of assistance given to the exporters by APEDA during 2011-12 to 2013-14 are as follows:

Rs. in Crore

Scheme	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Development of Infrastructure	12.55	1.07	0.11
Market Development	17.82	26.98	14.93
Quality Development	7.13	6.68	2.55
Transport Assistance	95.88	72.99	56.68

The Department of Commerce also gives grants for Market Development Assistance (MDA) and Market Access Initiative (MAI). The details of grants provided under these head during 2011-12 to 2013-14 is as under:

Rs. in Crore

Scheme	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Market Development	49.98	39.49	49.99
Market Access Initiative	149.99	125.00	179.99

The Department of Commerce is also providing incentives on export of various eligible products of agriculture sector under Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana (VKGUY), Focus Product Scheme (FPS), Focus Market Scheme (FMS) and International Export Incentivisation Scheme (IEIS) in the form of duty credit scrip.

The Government has not provided any subsidy for import of sugar and food grains during last three years.

The Government is providing grants/assistance to export promotion councils/ authorities/ associations/federations and Government bodies under MDA & MAI schemes. The beneficiaries under the above schemes receiving more than  Rs. five crore  once or more during 2011-2014 are  Apparel Export Promotion Council, Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export  Promotion Council, Council for Leather Exports,  Engineering Export Promotion Council, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Federation of Indian Export Organisation, Gem & Jewellery  Export Promotion Council, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council, , Carpet Export Promotion Council, Confederation of Indian Industry, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India, CMAI and  Cotton Textiles  Export Promotion Council.

The export/import rates of agricultural products depends on various factors including global stock position, international demand and supply situation, quality standards in the importing countries, varieties traded and price competitiveness. Currently, the Government is exporting only wheat through Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) of Department of Commerce. No wheat is being imported on Government Account.   Similarly, Government is importing edible oils and pulses meant for Public Distribution Schemes through PSUs, however, no export of pulses and edible oils is being done on Government Account.  Thus, no question arises that the Government is importing the goods at higher rates and exporting the same at lower rates.

The information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Export assistance for agricultural exporters is delivered via grants and duty credit scrip, supporting infrastructure and market access. APEDA and the Department of Commerce provide targeted export assistance through infrastructure, market development, quality and transport support, supplemented by MDA and MAI grants; export incentives for eligible agricultural products are issued as duty credit scrip under schemes such as VKGUY, FPS, FMS and IEIS, with major export councils and industry bodies among recurrent beneficiaries.