India meat exports $568 mn during Apr-May; religious groups seeking ban, says minister

New Delhi - India exported meat and meat products worth $568 million during April-May of this fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday. The main export destinations include Vietnam, Egypt, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. India mainly exports processed meat and meat of buffalo, sheep and goat. In quantity terms, the overseas shipments stood at 1,92,748 tonnes in the first two months of this fiscal, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. [caption id=“attachment_2942598” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] She also said “representations are being received from time to time from some religious/social organisations demanding ban on export of meat and its products”. At present, there is no proposal to lift the ban on export of beef, she added. Replying to a separate question, she said during April-May of 2016-17, services exports from India stood at $26.37 billion. It was $154.31 billion in 2015-16. The minister said initiatives announced by the government like Services Exports from India Scheme are expected to enhance the exports.