ID :
147183
Sun, 10/24/2010 - 05:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/147183
The shortlink copeid
India to export 5 lakh tonne rice, wheat to Bangladesh soon
New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) India Saturday said it will soon
export five lakh tonne of rice and wheat to Bangladesh despite
ban on outward shipments of the foodgrains.
"India will be exporting three lakh tonne of par-boiled
rice and two lakh tonne of wheat to Bangladesh...PSUs (state
trading firms) have been directed to do so expeditiously,"
India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told
reporters after meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad
Faruk Khan here.
He said the exports would happen "soon".
The decision to export the rice and wheat was taken in
August, an official said.
The Director General of Foreign Trade Anup K Pujari has
been asked to monitor the exports.
Bangladesh imports about one million tonne of rice and
wheat annually.
The visiting minister had yesterday said that Bangladesh
wants an agreement with India for import of wheat and rice
every year.
There has been a ban on export of wheat and non-basmati
rice since October 2007 and April 2008, respectively, to
ensure availability of the grain in the domestic market and
check the price rise. But the ban has been relaxed from
time-to-time on diplomatic grounds.
Khan said his meeting with Sharma was "fruitful".
"We consider India not only as neighbour but as a brother
and dear friend," he said adding that several bottlenecks in
trade between the two countries have been resolved.
Sharma also said India would be importing 1.7 million
apparel pieces from Bangladesh without any duty during the
October-December quarter.
Under a trade facilitation initiative, India has allowed
duty-free apparel import quota of 80 lakh pieces in a calendar
year from Bangladesh.
Garment accounts for about 80 per cent of the total
exports of Bangladesh.
The two countries also signed agreements to strengthen
economic ties.
"We have agreed to strengthen border infrastructure.
Seven integrated check-posts on India-Bangladesh border and
eight land customs stations are being upgraded and will be
operationalised soon," Sharma said.
Sharma said the two way trade has the potential to touch
USD 5 billion in next two years from the current about USD 3
billion. PTI
export five lakh tonne of rice and wheat to Bangladesh despite
ban on outward shipments of the foodgrains.
"India will be exporting three lakh tonne of par-boiled
rice and two lakh tonne of wheat to Bangladesh...PSUs (state
trading firms) have been directed to do so expeditiously,"
India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told
reporters after meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad
Faruk Khan here.
He said the exports would happen "soon".
The decision to export the rice and wheat was taken in
August, an official said.
The Director General of Foreign Trade Anup K Pujari has
been asked to monitor the exports.
Bangladesh imports about one million tonne of rice and
wheat annually.
The visiting minister had yesterday said that Bangladesh
wants an agreement with India for import of wheat and rice
every year.
There has been a ban on export of wheat and non-basmati
rice since October 2007 and April 2008, respectively, to
ensure availability of the grain in the domestic market and
check the price rise. But the ban has been relaxed from
time-to-time on diplomatic grounds.
Khan said his meeting with Sharma was "fruitful".
"We consider India not only as neighbour but as a brother
and dear friend," he said adding that several bottlenecks in
trade between the two countries have been resolved.
Sharma also said India would be importing 1.7 million
apparel pieces from Bangladesh without any duty during the
October-December quarter.
Under a trade facilitation initiative, India has allowed
duty-free apparel import quota of 80 lakh pieces in a calendar
year from Bangladesh.
Garment accounts for about 80 per cent of the total
exports of Bangladesh.
The two countries also signed agreements to strengthen
economic ties.
"We have agreed to strengthen border infrastructure.
Seven integrated check-posts on India-Bangladesh border and
eight land customs stations are being upgraded and will be
operationalised soon," Sharma said.
Sharma said the two way trade has the potential to touch
USD 5 billion in next two years from the current about USD 3
billion. PTI
