Commerce Minister to meet exporters on Apr 20 to discuss export scenario

The commerce and industry ministry has convened a meeting of exporters on April 20 to discuss the export situation against the backdrop of surging coronavirus cases and healthy growth in overseas shipments in recent months.

The meeting will be chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Confirming the meeting, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai said that the ministry holds these meetings regularly to discuss issues of exporters and ways to further increase outbound shipments.

Chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Colin Shah said that these meetings are helpful as exporters get a platform to raise their issues. The meeting also assumes significance as certain exporters are of the view that restrictions, imposed by different states to contain the rising coronavirus cases, for a long time could have a bearing on the industry.

The country’s exports surged by 60.29% to a monthly record high of $34.45 billion in March on growth in sectors such as engineering, gems and jewelry, and pharmaceuticals, even as the outbound shipments contracted by 7.26% during the full 2020-21 fiscal to $290.63 billion. The exports have increased to $13.72 billion during April 1-14 this year, according to the provisional data of the Commerce Ministry.