YEAR END REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

India's merchandise exports increased from US $ 63.8 billion in 2003-04 to US $ 162.9 billion in 2007-08 recording average annual growth rate of 26.4% during the last four years.  

 (Values in US $ billion)

 Provisional                                                                Data Source: DGCI&S, Kolkata

Steps taken by the Government to arrest deceleration of export -- (1) Excise duty reduced across the board by 4% for all products except petroleum products and those products where current rate was less than 4%;   (2) Interest subvention of 2% has been provided till 31.3.2009, to the following labour intensive sectors for exports: Textiles (including Handlooms), Handicrafts, Leather, Gems & Jewellery, Marine Products and SMEs;  (3) Additional funds of Rs.350 crore provided for export incentive Schemes; (4) All items of handicrafts included in Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana; (5) Back-up guarantee to ECGC for up to Rs.350 crore; (6) Rs1,100 crore provided to ensure full refund of claims of CST/Terminal Excise duty/ Duty drawback on deemed exports; (7) Additional funds of Rs.1400 crore provided for textile sector to clear the backlog claims of TUF;  (8) Export duty on iron ore fines eliminated, and for lumps, reduced to 5%; (9) Import duty on naphtha for power sector eliminated; (10) Some pending issues relating to Service Tax refund on exports - resolved.

Special Economic Zones

SEZs have created employment for large number of unemployed rural youth. Even in the services sector, 12.5 million sq meters space is expected in the IT/ITES SEZs which as per the NASSCOM standards translates into 12.5 lakh jobs. It is, therefore, expected that establishment of SEZs would lead to fast growth of labour intensive manufacturing and services in the country. The total investment in the SEZs, as on 30^th September 2008, were Rs.93507.23 crore and the total employment generated so far to 3,62,650 persons.

Out of the 531 formal approvals given till date, 174 approvals are for sector specific and multi product SEZs for manufacture of Textiles & Apparels, Leather Footwear, Automobile components, Engineering etc. which would involve labour intensive manufacturing.   Exports from SEZs during the year 2007-08 was to the tune of Rs.66,638 crore with a growth of 92% over 2006-07 (overall growth of exports of 381% over past four years (2003-04).  The export projection for 2008-09 is Rs.1, 25,950 crore.

Gems & Jewellery

During the year 2007-08, exports in gems & Jewellery sector were worth US $ 19,657.36 million dollars and registered growth of 23.13% as compared to the year 2006-07.  During the period April-July of the current fiscal exports worth US $ 6296.14 million were effected as against US $ 6141.92 million during the corresponding period previous year. 

Marine Products

Marine Products Export Development Authority had initiated following measures to sustain the export of marine products during the current year: 1. Launched a comprehensive programme to tap deep sea resources of Tuna and finalised an action plan for development of tuna fishery in the Andamans.  2. Increased thrust on diversification of culture practices and launched a new scheme for providing financial assistance for value addition.  3. Introduced for the first time in the world Organic fresh water shrimp in the international market.  4. Promoted ornamental fish breeding for export.  5. Took steps to set up six more screening laboratories in Andhra Pradesh to improve the quality of shrimp exported. 6. Undertook R&D activities for new aquaculture technologies / innovative methods for increasing the production of fin/shell fish varieties.  7. Taken steps to introduce a brand promotion scheme to promote the image of Indian Seafoods at abroad.

Anti-dumping Investigations during 2008

During the year 2008, the Directorate General of Anti Dumping has so far initiated 18 fresh anti-dumping investigations (till 8.12.2008). The products involved are Cable Ties, All Fully Drawn or Fully Oriented Yarn/Spin Draw Yarn/Flat Yarn of Polyester, Plain Medium Density Fibre Board, Power Steering Gear System, Thyionyl Chloride, Plastic Processing Machinery, Cathode ray Television Picture Tube - III, Nylon Tyre Cord Fabrics, Flax Fabrics, Ceramic tiles, Tyres Curing Presses, Radial Tyres, Pencillin - G, Phosphoric Acid, Diethyl Thio Phosphoryl Chloride, Cold Rolled Products of Stainless Steel, Hot Rolled Steel Products and Axle Beam and Steering Knuckles. The countries involved in these investigations are China PR, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, European Union, Indonesia, Belarus, Hong Kong, Korea RP, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, USA, Iran, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

Performance of Plantation Sector

COFFEE - The Government of India has approved the Development Support Scheme for coffee sector with a total financial outlay of Rs.310 crore during the month of March 2008. An area of 47776 hectares has been brought under plantation from January to November 2008.  A new scheme on Export Promotion of Coffee and the scheme on Support for Coffee Processing have been approved by the Government of India with a total financial outlay of Rs.45 crore on April 10, 2008.  The total export for the period from January to November 2008 was 2,08,023 tonnes earning a foreign exchange of Rs.2,271.81 crore against 2,04,538 tonnes earning a foreign exchange of Rs.1,773.50 crore during the same period last year.

RUBBER - India is the fourth largest producer of rubber with a share of 8.3% in the world production. The rubber sector accounts for 93% of the production and 89% of the area with an average holding size of 0.5 hectare. Natural rubber export and import is expected to reach 72,000 tonnes and 80,000 tonnes respectively in 2008.  The Rubber Training Centre received ISO: 2000 certificate in June 2008.

SPICES - Indian spices industry recorded an export of 4,44,250 tonnes worth over US $ 1 billion during the year 2007- 2008. It marked a quantum leap of 19 per cent in volume and 24 per cent in rupee value. Mumbai is the major hub for export of spices and has alone accounted for 39% in volume of the total spice exports during the last financial year. 

TOBACCO - India earned a foreign exchange of Rs.2,022.78 crore and Rs.10,271.55 crore as excise revenue in the year 2007- 2008. The exports of tobacco and tobacco products during 2007- 2008 were valued at Rs.2022.78 crore. During April-October 2008, exports of tobacco and tobacco products were valued at Rs.1952.43 crore. During April-October 2008, unmanufactured tobacco exports were valued at Rs.1623.10 crore and exports of tobacco products were valued at Rs.329.33 crore. Going by the current trend exports of tobacco and tobacco products are expected to cross US $ 600 million during 2008- 2009. 

Prospects of the Doha Round

India continues to believe in strengthening the multilateral trade rules of the WTO.  The full liberalisation through the WTO secures the economic and commercial gains necessary in the goods and services sectors and modes of supply of interest to developing countries.  India has reiterated the need for a serious discussion on the expectations of WTO Members regarding other issues. The developing countries want to have progress in some of these issues such as the TRIPS-CBD issue. The WTO Ministers will raise issues that they consider important and it would therefore be prudent to prepare for this so that the discussions in the Ministerial Conference can be held in a constructive environment and lead us to a successful conclusion.

Further, progress needs to be made in other areas of negotiations as well, that are of great interest to the developing countries. Our focus is on the bankable commitments from our major trading partners in areas where we have relative strengths and which would provide certainty and value to trade in Services. India has made it known that without bankable commitments from the major developed countries in Services, it may be difficult for India to agree to the modalities on Agriculture and NAMA.  India needs to have clear information on the important elements which are required for completion of Services' negotiations too.

India has been engaging constructively and actively with other fellow Member countries of the WTO towards this end. For India, it is important that the Doha Round negotiations are brought to a successful conclusion.  Such a conclusion can only be possible if we are faithful to the mandate and the outcome reflects a clear balance between market opening and the development needs of the majority of the membership. India is ready to show the necessary flexibility to achieve such an outcome but the onus for movement lies largely with the developed countries.