India's food products export to the United States was $1.4 billion (around Rs 6,530 crore) in 2008-09, industry chamber Assocham said today.
Quoting the US Food and Drug Authority's country Director Bruce Ross said food product exports to the US in 2008-09 mainly consisted of shrimp, cashews, spices and tea.
Ross was speaking at a summit organised by it, Assocham said in a statement.
He exuded confidence that India's export of medicines and pharma products would substantially increase to the USA to the best satisfaction of its people since pharma companies here have been following stringent benchmarks to manufacture such products, the statement said.
India had exported medicines worth $1.38 billion in 2007-08, Assocham said.
Out of 6,300 active drugs imported by the US from various parts of the world 1,700 are from Indian companies which shows the potential for Indian pharma companies to enhance their exports, Ross said.
India ranked fourth among drug exporting countries to the US, having a share of six per cent in medicines imported by it.
Referring to challenges of globalization, Ross said it has fundamentally changed the environment for regulating food and medical products as also created unique regulatory challenges for FDA.
Source : Business Standard