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Karmayogi

Commodity trends
The principal commodities which registered significant increase in exports over the corresponding period in the previous FT year included tea, pulses, tobacco, spices, mica, meat and meat products, sesame and niger seeds, groundnuts, guargum meals, processed fruits and juices, floriculture products, residual chemicals and allied products, natural silk textiles and silk carpets. Besides, commodities which witnessed a moderate growth, i.e. upto 15 per cent, in their exports during the above period, included minerals, gems and jewellery, sports goods, rubber, glass and other products, project goods, marine products, iron ore, basic chemicals and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, engineering goods, cotton yarn fabrics and madeups, readymade garments, man-made textile madeups, coir/products, wool/woolen items and handicraft.

Decline in food items
The items which suffered decline in exports included cereal, rice, castor oil, shellac, sugar and molasses, processed foods, spirit and beverages, jute products, mill-made carpets, raw cotton and petroleum products.

Pearls major imports
In other items, major growth in import has been recorded during April, 1997 and February, 1998, over the same period last year, included pearls and precious stones (16.6), metal manufacture (6.6), professional instruments (30.6), electronics goods (41), coal-coke-briquettes (33.3), leather (31.3), non-metal mineral items (29.5), organic and inorganic chemicals (20.7).

Plantations
Primarily tea and coffee come under this head. Exports of plantation crops increased by 33.3 per cent in rupee terms in the current year. Exports of coffee increased by 13.3 per cent to Rs. 1,409 crore from Rs. 1,244 crore during the same period last year. Exports of tea went up by 61.3 per cent to Rs. 1,43 crore from Rs. 894 crore last year.

Agriculture and allied products
Shares of these products was 12 per cent in total exports in the current year. However, in showed a decline of 5.4 per cent from Rs. 14,347 crore in the previous year to Rs. 13,567 crore this year. Pulses, tobacco, guargum meals, and seeds, meat/preparation and floriculture products showed a significant increase this year while exports of rice, castor oil, shellac, sugar and molasses, processed fruits and vegetables, spirits and beverages declined.

Marine products
Exports of marine products amounted to Rs. 4,040 crore this year as against Rs. 3,631 in the previous year indicating an increase of 11.3 per cent.

Minerals and Ores
These items' average share in exports is about 3.1 per cent, comprising of mainly iron and manganese ores, aluminium, mica and coal. Their exports this year were valued at Rs. 3,468 crore registering a decline of 4.4 per cent over the same period last year. However, Mica has registered a spectacular export growth of 52.9 per cent in rupee terms this year.

Leather products
Exports of leather goods went down from Rs. 5,058 crore last year to Rs. 4,800 crore this year - a negative growth 5.1 per cent. These products accounted for about 4.3 per cent in exports this year. Footwear accounted for over one-third of leather/products exports, mainly to developed countries.

Gems and jewellery
These are major export items accounting for 14.6 per cent of total exports this year Rs. 16,445 crore as compared to Rs. 14,849 crore, a growth rate of 10.7 per cent over the previous year.

Chemicals and allied products
Exports from this sector had a positive of 16.1 per cent this year in rupee terms, compared to last year's 15.4 per cent to Rs. 13,844 crore against Rs. 11, 996 crore in 1995-96.

Engineering goods
These accounted for about 12.4 per cent of our exports this year totalling to Rs. 13,973 crore as compared to Rs. 12,446 crore last year - a 12.3 per cent growth. 60 per cent of imports are from the developing countries and among developed countries USA is the biggest buyer.

Electronics and computer software
These have been identified as thrust sector for exports in view of Indian information technology advancement and highly qualified manpower. However, electronic goods, excluding software, account for just 2.1 per cent of total exports.

Textiles
Textiles including carpets and handicraft are the major traditional Indian export items accounting for nearly 28 per cent share in total exports this year, total value of textiles exports increased to Rs. 27,698 crore from Rs. 25,455 crore in 1996-97, a growth rate of 8.8 per cent. Readymade garments/manmade textiles, silk carpets recorded increase of 5.1, 14.8 and 31.6 per cent, respectively. However, mill made carpets decreased by 17.1 per cent. Handicraft exports went to Rs. 1,740 crore from Rs. 1,536 crore last year showing a growth of 13.3 per cent; while that of cotton yarn fabrics and made-ups increased by 12 per cent, exports of jute items declined by 10.8 per cent this year and raw cotton declined 40.3 per cent.

- Computer Software accounted for about 10-15% of the total exports.

- Leather goods account for about 5% of the total exports.

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