Aparajit Chakraborty
KOLKATA, Dec. 25: With nearly a 40 per cent drop in the quantum of goods exported and imported because of global recession, the transport industry in the country as well as in the state is anticipating huge losses this year.
Industry insiders said almost three months back when markets were hit by global recession, exporters and importers stopped transporting goods to foreign countries. A similar slump was being noticed in the quantum of goods imported resulting heavy loses in the current financial year.
According to Mr Raja Roy, general secretary of Calcutta Goods Transport Association, there would be a decrease of about 40 per cent in export and import figures while a fall of at least 30 to 35 per cent is expected in the total turnover by the end of the current financial year. Exporters, who used to send consumer durable goods like refrigerators, television, cosmetics and health care products have now cancelled their orders to India. The scenario is not much different in case of the import sector. Import of various engineering goods and automobile parts from China including transformers, generator sets, pumping machines and toys have sharply declined over these three months. Indian imports from the European market that mainly include automobile parts and export of dairy products to the European market have also decreased considerably because of the ongoing economic meltdown. In fact, this slump in trade has resulted in drivers and lorry owners not receiving transportation costs from their contractors, he said.
Mr Roy also expressed his displeasure over the fact that while there has been a reduction in the price of oil in the global market, the reduction of prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 2 respectively was not very satisfactory. A further reduction in the price of petrol and diesel would have helped the transport operators.
Source : The Statesman