Agri Export Zones
The concept of Agri Export Zone (AEZ) was introduced in 2001, through EXIM Policy 1997-2001, to take a comprehensive look at a particular produce/product located in a contiguous area for the purpose of developing and sourcing the raw materials, their processing/packaging, leading to final exports.
The concept hinged primarily on convergence of existing Central and State Government schemes to take care of financial interventions required at various stages of value chain; partnership among various stakeholders viz. Central Government, State Government, farmer, processor, exporter etc.; and focus on targeted products and areas to identify required policy interventions.
All these activities did take place in certain respects in the notified Agri Export Zones. In December 2004, an internal peer review conducted by Department of Commerce concluded that the notified AEZs had not been able to achieve the intended objectives.
It was decided that there will be no creation of new AEZs, unless there were strong and compelling reasons. No new AEZs have been set up after 2004. All the notified AEZs have completed their intended span of 5 years and have been discontinued.
Benefits of RCEP Agreement
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is a proposed Free Trade Agreement between ten ASEAN member states and their six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners namely India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea, is expected to provide market access for India’s goods and services exports and encourage greater investments and technology into India.
It would also facilitate India’s MSMEs to effectively integrate into the regional value and supply chains. On the other hand, India is not a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) which is a grouping of twenty-one countries in the Asia Pacific region with an aim to deepen and strengthen economic and technological cooperation amongst APEC member countries.
……………………….Coal India Limited (CIL) has increased its production of coal from 462.41 MT in 2013-14 to 567.36 MT in 2017-18 (four years) resulting in an absolute increase of 105 MT as compared to increase of coal production of 31.15 MT between 2009-10 and 2013-14 (four years).
…………………The major export destination for basmati Rice are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Yemen Republic, USA, and UK.
The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the administrative control of Department of Commerce, has been mandated with the export promotion of Basmati rice. APEDA has been able to register Basmati Rice as a Geographical Indication (GI) in February 2016. APEDA, in collaboration with the trade, has also established Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), which undertakes various activities for development and export promotion of Basmati rice. Moreover, APEDA has also been providing assistance to the Basmati rice exporters under various components of its export promotion scheme.