Honey, papad, hand-made paper and products made by the Khadi and Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) have emerged as the top export items. Export value of honey zoomed to ₹133.49 crore in 2016-17 to West Asian countries, from a mere ₹6.5 crore in 2015-16 and ₹5.4 crore lakh in 2014-15.

The top importers of honey are countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Oman and the US, according to a written reply by Giriraj Singh, MSME Minister (Independent Charge), to Lok Sabha on Monday.

The export value of papad in 2016-17 stood at ₹69.4 crore (₹69.7 crore in 2015-16) to the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the UAE, among others, while that of handmade paper & products traders through merchant exporters was at ₹31.5 crore in 2016-17 — down from ₹42.8 crore in 2015-16.

Overall, the export of KVIC products rose to about ₹269.38 crore in 2016-17, up from ₹140.12 crore in 2015-16 and ₹124.39 crore in 2014-15. The products include Khadi woollen and silk, brass and metal, soaps, shampoos and lotions, readymade garments, hair oil and other cosmetics, handicrafts, pottery, silver nitrate among others.

“The Ministry is providing special incentives for promotion and introduction of KVIC products in international markets,” the Minister said, adding that KVIC had obtained the status of Deemed Export Promotion Council from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The Minister also informed the House that KVIC had applied to register “Khadi” as a word mark and “Khadi India” as a trade mark in 27 classes of various products. An online application for registration of “Khadi” as a trade mark under the international bureau in the European Union and other countries under 16 different classes has also been filed, Singh added.

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