Exports to touch over $ 500 bn by 2014-15: FIEO.

NEW DELHI: If exports maintain an annual growth trend of 25 per cent, Indian exports can cross USD 500 billion by 2014-15 from USD 220 billion expected in the current fiscal, FIEO said today.

India's apex exporters body Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ramu S Deora said emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Middle-East countries would play an important role to achieve this ambitious target.

"Out of USD 500 billion exports, major chunk will be contributed by Asia with a share of USD 230 billion with ASEAN alone importing more than USD 100 billion from India. Exports to Africa and Latin America will zoom," Deora told reporters.

He said that Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries like Russia and Ukraine would also contribute in increasing Indian exports.

However, he said that the country's exports to traditional destinations - the US and Europe - would go down to 15 and 10 per cent, respectively.

Currently, the US and EU accounts for about 35 per cent of India's exports.

"Share of Europe and North America will be down to 15 and 10 per cent, respectively as growth in advance economies will taper off," he added.

India's exports grew by 29.5 per cent to USD 164.7 billion during April-December 2010-11. In December 2010, the shipments grew by 36.4 per cent year-on-year.

In 2010-11, the outbound shipments are expected to touch USD 220 billion.

Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar has said that demand for Indian goods are increasing in emerging markets.

"Over USD 500 billion exports by 2014-15 would require a compund annual growth rate of about 25 per cent which is ambitious but definitely achievable," he said.

The President asked the government to act immediately on the bottlenecks like infrastructure and reducing transaction cost to achieve the milestone.

"Quantum jump in investment would be required in roads, ports, airports, containers, power and telecommunications, cold storage and refrigerated vans and warehouses, so as to augment the installed capacity," Deora said.

He added that fluctuation in exchange rate hurts exporters and importers, so the government should consider full convertibility of Indian rupee to curb high volatility.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com