Generic Promotion of Assam tea in connection with its completion of 200 years of its journey was done
New Delhi:2023 is a glorious year for the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.Foreign Trade Policy 2023 (FTP 2023) was launched on 31st March 2023 in New Delhi by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry implemented the Advance Authorisation Scheme under the FTP 2023, which allows duty-free import of inputs for export purposes. Now the exporter will not be required to apply to the office of DGFT for a Status Certificate and the export recognition will be provided by the IT system based on available Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) merchandise export electronic data and other risk parameters.
G20
The G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting (TIMM) was held in Jaipur on 24th and 25th August, 2023. The meeting was led by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. Under India’s Presidency, the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial reached a groundbreaking consensus on five concrete and action-oriented deliverables which have been adopted in the Outcome Document.
The first one being adoption of High-Level Principles on digitalization of trade documents wherein the G20 Ministers have enunciated 10 broad principles that comprehensively cover various dimensions of an effective transition to paperless trade. G20 Ministers also issued a Jaipur Call for Action for enhancing access to information for MSMEs. The Ministers called upon the International Trade Center (ITC), Geneva to work on a detailed implementation plan, in consultation with UNCTAD and WTO, for upgradation of ITC’s Global Trade Helpdesk which would address the informational gaps faced by MSMEs.
The Ministers also endorsed a G20 Generic Mapping Framework for Global Value Chains (GVCs) which contained key building blocks of data, analysis, and representation of GVC data.
G20 Ministers acknowledged the importance of mutual dialogues to reduce regulatory divergences and associated trade costs and also to prevent unnecessary trade frictions, monitor trade and investment-related measures and solve existing irritants.
Bharat Mandapam
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to nation the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 26th July 2023 and urged the nation to move ahead with the principle of ‘Think Big, Dream Big, Act Big’. The complex has been named, ‘Bharat Mandapam’. Prime Minister also unveiled the G-20 coin and G-20 stamp at the grand opening ceremony and participated in the naming ceremony of the Convention Centre. Developed as a national project at a cost of about Rs 2700 crores, the new Convention Complex will help showcase and promote India as a global business destination.
The Scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) support which was notified till 30th September 2023 has now been extended till 30th June 2024 at the same rates to the existing export items. Government e-Marketplace
A function was held by Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in partnership with Self-Employed Women’s Association, Bharat (SEWA Bharat) to commemorate the success of “Womaniya on Government eMarketplace (GeM)” on 14th January 2023 in New Delhi. Launched in 2019, the “Womaniya” initiative has sought to encourage the participation of women entrepreneurs and self-help groups (SHG) from the informal sector on the GeM portal and facilitate the sale of their products directly to various Government buyers, sans intermediaries.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
In a move to harness export potential of millets to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCCs), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu Hypermarket LLC on 21st February 2023. This will facilitate manufactures to send various samples of millet products to Lulu Hypermarkets, which will be showcased at its various stores.
APEDA organized the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference on 18th March 2023 in New Delhi to stimulate the exports of millets from India and provide market linkage to the producers. Around 100 Indian millet exhibitors from different parts of the country and around 100 international buyers from various countries like the USA, UAE, Kuwait, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Bhutan, Italy and Malaysia were invited to the Conference.
In a major boost to fruits exports prospects, APEDA has facilitated the export of the first trial shipment of the following: (i) fresh pomegranate to the USA through air route in August 2023; (ii) fresh bananas to the Netherlands via a sea route on 9th November, 2023 from Baramati, Maharashtra; and (iii) water chestnut from LBSI Airport Varanasi to UAE on 20th November 2023.
Spice Board
Spice Board organized the World Spice Congress at Navi Mumbai from the 15th to the 17th of September 2023. World Spice Congress provides an opportunity to get to know this sector in a better way.
Tea Board
Tea Board participated in the reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM) in the “World Food India 2023” with value-added exporters and a number of buyers from countries like UAE, Russia, Egypt, France, Japan, Qatar visited the stalls. Generic Promotion of Assam tea in connection with its completion of 200 years of its journey was done through Audio Video advertisements and advertising (Digital and Static media) was continued at Guwahati International Airport in November 2023.
Export Performance
Despite global headwinds both merchandise and services exports robust performance. India’s overall export (Merchandise plus Services) stood at USD 499.46 billion during April-November 2023 as compared to USD 506.52 billion during April-November 2022.
