Market development assistance hike cheers garment exporters.

COIMBATORE: The increase in benefits under the market development assistance (MDA) scheme has cheered garment exporters. The MDA scheme helps exporters to participate in international fairs and buyer-seller meets.

The Centre has issued revised guidelines, which offer additional benefits, in the MDA scheme. The additional benefits will come into effect from June 1. The u pper ceiling for availing benefit under MDA has been revised from Rs 15 crore to Rs.30 crore FOB (free on board) value of exports of exporting units in the preceding yea r.

"The hike would help and encourage more number of exporting units in Tirupur to promote their products abroad," said A Sakthivel, President, Tirupur Exporters' Association. Financial support to the tune of Rs.40 lakh would be provided to export promotion councils like AEPC (Apparel Exports Promotion Council) when the number of participants exceed 75. "This positive measure would encourage exporters to participate in international fairs," Sakthivel said.

There has also been an enhancement in the financial ceiling for participation in trade fairs and exhibitions to various destinations under the scheme. For 'Focus Latin American' countries, the increase was from Rs.1.8 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh. The ceiling has been hiked from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh for 'Focus African' countries, CIS countries, Focus ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com