At a time when countries are battling with rising global foodgrain prices, improved production of foodgrain, milk and its products in India helped the country import less quantities of these sensitive items in 2007-08.

India imported foodgrain worth Rs 2,628.86 crore (Rs 26.28 billion) in the previous fiscal, which was 53.6 per cent less than the Rs 5,666.38 crore (Rs 56.66 billion) imports in 2006-07.

The domestic foodgrain production grew by an estimated four per cent to 227.32 million tons in 2007-08, up from 217.28 million tons in 2006-07.

In the case of milk and its products as well, the country, which is the largest milk producer in the world, was comfortably placed. Imports of the dairy products were worth Rs 19.92 crore (Rs 199.2 million) in 2007-08, which are 72.4 per cent less than imports of Rs 72.22 crore (Rs 722.2 million) in 2006-07.

India saw an over 7-8 per cent increase in milk production to 100 million metric tons in 2007-08.

"Prices of milk in the country remained competitive at a time when they were increasing globally. With good quantity of milk available in the country, imports were not required," Amul General Manager (Marketing) R S Sodhi said.

India's import of sensitive items, which are monitored by the government in view of their impact on domestic prices, grew by a marginal 0.5 per cent in April-March 2007-08 to Rs 28,664 crore (Rs 286.64 billion) as compared to Rs 28,508 crore (Rs 285.08 billion) in the corresponding period last year.

While shipments of milk and foodgrain declined, the country imported more edible oil, fruits, vegetables (including nuts), cotton, silk, rubber, automobiles, SSI products, spices, alcoholic beverages, marble and granite, tea and coffee during 2007-08.