Exports likely to improve by 10% in FY14: Commerce Secretary

10 May 2013 Evaluate

Improving demand situation in major developed markets like the US may help India’s exports to register a growth of at least 10% in the current financial year.  Indian exports fell for the first time in three years reporting a fall of 1.8% to $300.6 billion in 2012-13 fiscal, thereby recording a trade deficit of $191 billion, mainly on the back of demand slowdown in major markets like the US and Europe, since they contribute over 30% in the country's total shipments.

Commerce Secretary S R Rao has expressed his confidence and has said, ‘we are hoping for at least 10% (export) growth. US has already started improving. PMEAC in its report has clearly stated that US has started growing. We also believe that Europe has also stabilized.’ By adding further he said the recently unveiled incentive package for exporters would also help in increasing outbound shipments from the country. However, expressing concern over widening trade deficit, he said ‘we have no option but to export.’ For the current financial year, the government has set an export target of $325 as against the target of $360 billion in 2012-13.

World Trade Organisation (WTO), in its latest report has said that India with a growth of 17%, outpaced the rest of the world in terms of exports growth in 2005-12, it was significantly higher than the global average of 8% in the seven year period. Further, as per the WTO report, the world trade in 2012 has expanded only by 2%, which is less than half of the past 20 years average and for the current year it has pegged the world trade at 3.3%, any expansion of world trade will give a competitive advantage in boosting India’s exports.

However, the government is reportedly reviewing the target of $500 billion in exports by March 2014 in view of the global and domestic economic slowdown. The Commerce Department has decided to float a discussion paper as part of the mid-term review and will identify various factors contributing to lower exports and also suggest steps which need to be taken to boost shipments from India.

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