The recent improvement in the export performance has made it possible for the country's total exports in 2010-11 to cross $210-billion mark, according to Mr Anup Kumar Pujari, Director General Foreign Trade.

This is five per cent higher than the targeted $200 billion exports during the fiscal.

“The targeted export trade for the current fiscal is $200 billion, while imports are expected to be around $325 billion. However, last month exports increased by 36 per cent. If the growth continues we may cross $210 billion,” he told newspersons on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), here on Friday.

According to the DGFT, sectors such as gems and jewellery, engineering and chemicals have been doing well and contributing to the export growth.

According to him, the trade deficit of the country during the fiscal will remain anywhere between $115-$125 billion. The country's trade deficit for 2009-10 was $117.3 billion marginally down from $118.7 billion.

Agri Exports

The export of agricultural commodities, Mr Pujari maintained, was affected mainly because of curbs on outbound trade of rice, cotton bale and cotton yarn. “The agricultural sector has not been doing well,” he said.

Regarding the export of cotton, he said that a ceiling of 55 lakh bales has already been fixed. Of these 55 lakh bales of 170 kg each, 38 lakh bales has already been exported till December.

On import of onions from Pakistan, he said that while the import through the sea route had resumed, trade through the land route was facing “some problems”.

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