DGFT to identify districts with export potential in Gujarat

VADODARA: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has started the process of identifying districts with export potential in Gujarat.
Earlier this month, union commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu had asked regional officials of the DGFT to engage more with states and identify districts with export potential with a view to promoting foreign shipments.

Prabhu had asked them to act as facilitator and not a regulator.

“We have already held first round of meeting while other rounds will be held in first week of June,” said Dr Ashis Kumar Dash, deputy director general of foreign trade at DGFT, Vadodara.

The DGFT official said this while interacting with media persons on the sideline of a special conference on export promotion, strategies and future roadmap for export growth organised by the Federation of Gujarat Industries (FGI) as part of its centenary year celebrations where K C Rout, additional director general of DGFT was chief guest.

“Each state now has an export commissioner. We are interacting with industry bodies, trade associations and other stakeholders apart from export commissioner and industry commissioner to identify potential of each district,” he said, adding that district collectors too will be consulted to formulate strategies whereby export can be promoted.

“For instance, we already know that Vadodara is home to pharma and chemical clusters. We will be taking feedback from stakeholders on how exports can be promoted. What are the infrastructure challenges or how to increase their international competitiveness,” he said.

DGFT officials added that coordination between different government agencies will be enhanced.