COMPETITIVENESS OF EXPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES

India is the fruit and vegetable basket of the world. Over 90 per cent of India’s exports in fresh products go to West Asia and East European markets. The study endeavours to estimate the growth in export trade of selected fruits and vegetables from India, to examine the instability in export of fruits and vegetables and to analyze the competitiveness and direction of trade of major fruits and vegetables. The study was undertaken on a macro framework based on secondary data. Major fruits and vegetables such as mango, grapes, pomegranate, sapota, onion, potato, peas and green chilli were purposively selected. The yearly data on export quantity and value were compiled from APEDA, Import Export Data Bank etc. for the period 1993-94 to 2009-10. The analysis on the growth in export of fruits and vegetable has shown an increasing trend specially with respect to pomegranate and green chilli from India to middle east countries. Oman and UAE markets have been found very promising in terms of export. However, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait markets have been promising for onion and potato exports followed by peas to Saudi Arabia. Instability and direction of trade have shown that UAE was very loyal for import of Indian fruits and vegetables, appropriate export incentives need to be framed and implemented to meet the growing demand for fruits and vegetables in the view of high Indian population in Middle East countries. The results of Nominal Protection Coefficient (NPC) analysis have shown that the export of fruits and vegetables have found to be more competitive and promising. India should exploit and explore new market avenues to reap the advantages of current situations and improvement in the trade relations on the part of the government initiatives would bring about tremendous potential for export of other fruits and vegetables in future.