‘India can boost exports only through better product designs’

September 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Exports of agricultural products from India will more than double to top Rs.1 lakh crore (Rs.1 trillion or $20 billion) in the next five years, says an official export promotion agency of the commerce ministry. According to estimates by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), the share of India's farm product exports in the global trade will also grow from 2 percent now to over 5 percent.

August 19th, 2009 KOLKATA - Exports from Denmark to India are expected to grow by 25 percent by 2010, a senior Danish diplomat said here Wednesday. "The boost in exports will come from the healthcare, machinery and energy sectors," said Peter Sand, commercial counsellor at the embassy of Denmark, at an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

August 11th, 2009 Designs sought for mural on WTC construction fenceNEW YORK — Artists looking for somewhere to display their work now have a chance to be seen at one of the city's most high-profile places — the World Trade Center site. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the city Department of Transportation are asking artists to submit designs for a new mural.

August 3rd, 2009 India's exports plunge 27.7 percent in JuneMUMBAI, India — India's merchandise exports fell by more than a quarter in June, the Ministry of Commerce said Monday, marking the nation's ninth month of steeply declining trade. Merchandise exports were valued at 612.17 billion rupees ($12.8 billion), down 27.7 percent in dollar terms from 759.3 billion rupees ($17.7 billion) a year earlier, according to government figures.

August 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Recording a slip of 28 per cent in exports in June, India's overseas sales fell for the ninth straight month due to the global economic slump, government data revealed on Monday. Amid shrinking demand for made-in-India goods, shipments slid 28 per cent to 12.8 billion dollars from 17.73 billion dollars during the same month last year.

July 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government is looking at a relief package to exporters of services, who contribute over 40 percent to India's total export basket, in the foreign trade policy to be announced in August, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said Friday. "The services exports have been substantially contributing towards exports.

July 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The share of manufactured goods in India's exports declined from 81 percent in 1999-2000 to 63 percent in 2008-09, according to an industry lobby survey released here Monday. However, India's project exports - setting up infrastructure projects overseas - increased by over 25 percent during the same period, the report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said.

July 17th, 2009 Singapore exports drop, show little improvementSINGAPORE — The slump in Singapore's non-oil exports eased only slightly in June, suggesting the city-state's economy still faces a tough battle after emerging from recession in the second quarter. Exports fell 11 percent in June from the same month of 2008 to 11.4 billion Singapore dollars ($7.9 billion) following a 12 percent drop in May, according to Trade and Industry Ministry figures released Friday.

July 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With television shows like MTV Roadies promoting the culture of touring on motorcycles, Yamaha India is planning to cash in on the trend and organise rallies to push sales. "Touring as a culture is developing in India.

July 1st, 2009 India's exports plunge 29.2 percent in MayMUMBAI, India — India's exports fell by nearly a third in May, the eighth straight month of declines, as overseas demand withered. Merchandise exports were valued at 534.3 billion rupees ($11.0 billion), up slightly from April, but down 29.2 percent in dollar terms from 655.0 billion rupees ($15.5 billion) a year earlier, according to government figures Wednesday.

June 19th, 2009 MUMBAI - Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran wants the sector to develop the "Made in India" brand and diversify into markets beyond the US and the European Union. "The US and EU markets are brand-driven, and through branding we will be able to create a niche market for Indian textiles products and ensure higher value realisation per unit, Maran told reporters here Friday.

June 17th, 2009 Singapore exports drop again, but show improvementSINGAPORE — The slump in Singapore's non-oil exports eased in May, suggesting the most important sector of the city-state's economy is stabilizing. Exports fell 12 percent in May from the same month of 2008 to 10.9 billion Singapore dollars ($7.5 billion) following a 19 percent drop in April, according to Trade and Industry Ministry figures released Wednesday.

June 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A week after Honda entered the small car segment in the Indian market, Italian auto major Fiat Wednesday launched the globally available Grande Punto, its third small car offering in the country. "The launch of Grande Punto marks a new milestone for Fiat in India as we bring the quintessentially Italian designs to Indian shores," Fiat India chief executive Rajeev Kapoor said.

April 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's exports to the US have fallen by 11.5 percent in the five-month period since last October, said the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), adding that this was a 'matter of deep concern'. 'The sharp decline in our exports to the US that accounts for 13 percent of our global exports is a matter of deep concern,' FICCI president Harshpati Singhania said in a statement Thursday.

February 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India is expected to miss the export target of $200 billion this fiscal due to the global meltdown, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said Friday, but hoped this figure will be achieved next year as he unveiled some new measures to help the exporting community. The minister hoped the country would log merchandise exports of at least $175 billion during the current fiscal, as he reviewed the country's long-term foreign trade policy.