Maharashtra’s food & agri exports to US fell 27% in Aug-Nov

Nashik: Maharashtra's export of food and agricultural products to the United States fell by 26.6% during the Aug–Nov period of the 2025-26 financial year, largely due to the steep increase in import tariffs imposed by the US govt on Indian goods.Official data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), which operates under the Union ministry of commerce and industry, revealed a contraction in both volumes and value of shipments since the duties rose. Between Aug and Nov 2025, Maharashtra exported 41,123.7 tonnes of agricultural and processed food commodities worth Rs 762.4 crore to the US. In comparison, the state shipped 56,062 tonnes worth Rs 1,108 crore during the same four-month period of 2024-25. The decline corresponded with Washington's decision to levy a 25% duty on Indian goods beginning Aug 1, which increased to 50% from Aug 27, 2025.
The range of agricultural and food items exported from the state to the US spans cocoa products, a variety of miscellaneous preparations such as dried soups, broths, sauces, ketchup, soft drink concentrates, ice cream and betel nut items, along with processed vegetables, cereal preparations, fruit juices and nuts. Other significant categories include pulses, non-basmati rice, jaggery and confectionery, dairy products, and fresh fruits such as mangoes, grapes and pomegranates.According to Vikas Singh, the vice-president of the Horticultural Produce Exporters' Association (HPEA), the tariff hike had an immediate and adverse effect on the movement of these products. He said exports have remained under pressure since August, with an average decline of around 27% during the current financial year. However, Singh added that the situation may improve in the coming months as US President Donald Trump has announced a reduction in duties on Indian goods to 18%.Singh termed the tariff rollback a positive development for Indian exporters, noting that lowered duties would help restore Maharashtra's food and agri exports to their earlier momentum. He also pointed out that the US market remains highly competitive, with Vietnam, China and the Philippines being major suppliers of food and agricultural commodities. A more favourable tariff regime, he said, would help Indian exporters regain competitiveness.Despite the steep fall in the Aug-Nov period, Maharashtra's overall shipments to the US during the first eight months (April-Nov) of 2025–26 reflected a marginal improvement in value terms. APEDA data showed the state exported 96,408 tonnes worth Rs 2,139.8 crore in this period, compared with 1.03 lakh tonnes valued at Rs 2,081.8 crore during April-Nov 2024-25. While the overall volume was lower, the value indicated relatively stable performance driven by higher prices in some commodity segments.In the full 2024-25 financial year, Maharashtra shipped 1.6 lakh tonnes of agricultural and processed food products to the US worth Rs 3,684 crore. Key categories included cocoa products (Rs 947 crore), miscellaneous preparations (Rs 745 crore), processed vegetables (Rs 493.9 crore), cereal preparations (Rs 311 crore), processed fruit juices and nuts (Rs 174.3 crore), pulses (Rs 135 crore), non-basmati rice (Rs 126 crore), jaggery and confectionery (Rs 121 crore), dairy products (Rs 75.3 crore), fresh mangoes (Rs 64 crore), fresh grapes (Rs 6.3 crore) and fresh pomegranates (Rs 24 crore). In 2023-24, the state shipped 1.3 lakh tonnes worth Rs 2,445 crore to the US.