Leverage trade

Export-oriented policies can relieve farm distress

Agricultural exports have traditionally outstripped imports by handsome margins. But a sharp 21 per cent decline in exports and a much sharper 65 per cent rise in imports of farm goods in the past four years have virtually eroded the positive trade balance. Going by the latest official data, farm exports have dwindled from $43 billion in 2013-14 to below $34 billion in 2016-17, while imports have surged from $15 billion to over $25 billion during the same period. The blame for this unwarranted trend lies largely with ill-advised agricultural pricing and trade policies, though the softening of the global