The Hindu Business Line : Exporter-importer forum formed in Coimbatore

MEMBERS belonging to diverse goods manufacture and service industries in Coimbatore district have floated a new forum under the banner of Coimbatore District Exporters and Importers Association (CDEIA).

According to the members, with the quota-free trade regime to come into being with the next few months, the need to form a forum was being felt.

"At present, the industry associations/trade bodies dedicated to their own trade/businesses in Coimbatore have restricted their services only to their line of activity. But the changing dynamics of manufacturing/service industries in a free-trade environment are expected to bring a host of new issues and challenges, which are needed to be addressed at a collective/confederated level and hence the need to have a collective forum of exporters and importers,'' said Mr A.M.M. Khaleel, President, CDEIA.

He puts the combined value of exports from Coimbatore industries at Rs 18,000 (including Rs 7,000 crore knitwear exports from Tiruppur).

Another reason for the move is the need to provide an interface with exporters and importers connected with the key movers of the district economy — textiles, engineering, automotives, agro-products, information technology and gems and jewellery — which have all made a mark at national level.

To achieve this, there is a need to activate the Coimbatore export hub, which could give impetus to the accelerated growth of the Coimbatore-based export industries.

According to Mr M.M. Sampathkumar, Secretary, despite having vibrant export manufacturing bases and adequate infrastructure facilities, industries here are made to look up to far away upmarkets to sell their products. This often erodes the market potential and blunts the price realisation for the local industries. A case in point, he said, was that to give wider exposure, the Coimbatore-based jewellery exporters were to depend upon jewellery fairs in Mumbai.

More Stories on : Exports & Imports | Tamil Nadu

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page