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At a time when the country is hoping to achieve an ambitious export target of $500 billion by 2014-15, the export sector in Karnataka is planning big for boosting the growth of the sector.
To make this a reality, a one-day exporters' conclave — Karnataka: Export Vision 2020 — is aiming to prepare a roadmap for export sector in the state.
Being organised by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the conclave is set to witness participation from all the stakeholders – governments, exporters and bureaucracy.
Mr Walter D'Souza, Chairman of the Southern Region of FIEO, said that despite the slowdown in export growth and uncertainties in the country's major markets such as the European Union and the US, FIEO has set an export target of over $500 billion by 2014-15.
To achieve this target, there is need for giving attention to various sectors such as road, port and railways among others, apart from policy initiatives from various government departments.
He said that several other issues, especially related to the State Government and various Central Government departments, need to be attended on priority to take care of the envisaged growth.
In such a situation, FIEO with the support of the Chambers of Commerce in Karnataka and other trade organisations has taken this initiative to prepare a roadmap.
Stating that FIEO will come out with a ‘Vision 2020' document for Karnataka by March 31, Mr D'Souza said this document will help increase Karnataka's export share from the present six per cent to 10 per cent in the country's total exports. It will mainly focus on areas such as agro exports and marine exports from the State, in addition to the information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services.
INFRA ADVANTAGE
Recently addressing a press conference in Mangalore, Mr M. Veerappa Moily, Union Corporate Affairs Minister, had stated that infrastructure facilities such as sea port, airport, road and rail connectivity in Mangalore could help boost growth of exports from Karnataka.
The exporters' conclave is aimed at focusing on the possibilities of the State to achieve desired growth by augmenting fully all the available resources. The programme also focuses on the importance in understanding the goals, bringing about an alignment in various government department's combined efforts and realising optimal synergies in action.
Mr D'Souza said that the programme will come up with the suggestions which will enable the State and the Central governments to ensure all class of society to find their due space for an inclusive growth process leading to a prosperous State.
The programme will attempt to chart out a long-term development plan for the State. This includes profiling various dimensions of State's developments including its demography, economy, human development, etc.
Sessions
One of the technical sessions of the conclave will deliberate on identifying challenges and countering strategy for achieving exports of $500 billion by 2013-14, and another will focus on constraints of capacity, connectivity, efficiency and high user charges of shipping with bearing on export-import trade.
He said that the challenges of mandatory cost accountant certification, limited liability partnership, and merger and closure of companies will also be discussed in the technical sessions.
All these sessions will be chaired by the ministers of respective departments, along with senior officials of the department. Nearly 250 delegates are likely to attend the convention, he said.
Specialised activities
Highlighting the various services offered by FIEO for the exporters, he said it provides online chat service by DG and CEO of FIEO with the exporters on its Web site – www.fieo.org -- every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for online clarification on international trade issues including policy issues.
FIEO provides live clarification on all international trade issues through the all-India toll free number 1800-121-9000.
Apart from organising buyer-seller meets in India and abroad, the federation organises trade fairs and exhibitions abroad. It also sponsors incoming and outgoing business delegations, he said.
Market development grants to the exporters on behalf of the Department of Commerce are disbursed from FIEO.
Mr D'Souza said that FIEO empowers new entrepreneurs (particularly MSMEs) with various facets of international trade, and it is an interface between MSME export sector and the Government.
It facilitates bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations; and conducts market surveys, market intelligence, data analysis and disseminates them, he said.
Some initiatives
According to Mr D'Souza, FIEO has set up India Trade Centre named ‘Indus Trade Services FZE' in Sharjah. It will function as a service provider company to provide easy access to the Gulf and the North African markets.
With this, exporters can set up offshore marketing office along with facilities such as re-distribution, re-export, re-packing, processing, finishing, assembling and packaging.
The facility offers sea, land and air transport links with access to over two billion consumers across the Gulf countries, Asian sub-continent, parts of Africa, and Europe among others, he said.
Recently FIEO, in association with the Karnataka Government and the National Jute Board, set up an India pavilion in one of the international exhibitions. FIEO participated in the 15th Kenya International Trade Exhibition at Nairobi in November 2011.
Exporters dealing in textiles, readymade garments, engineering, jute products, ayurvedic products, chemicals and food products were part of the delegation that participated in the exhibition.
Mr D'Souza said that FIEO has been actively promoting trade with African region. Since the business visitors were form Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique and Zaire, the Indian exporters found it as a good opportunity for them, he said.
According to him, East African countries were becoming increasingly important to India because of their brisk growth and the business environment they offer. Kenya is the biggest economy within the East African countries and is generally perceived as Eastern and central Africa's hub for financial, communication and transportation services.
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