FIEO to jointly set up facilitation centres in Gujarat for export

AHMEDABAD: In a bid to push exports from Gujarat, the Federation of Indian Exports Organisations (FIEO) today said it plans to set up trade facilitation centres in export centric clusters of the state.


The recommendation to the state government from the apex export body set up by Union Commerce Ministry comes at a time when Centre has set challenging targets for international trade by 2020. The Centre also expects the states to supplement them through their own efforts.

"Right now India roughly has close to 2 per cent of world's share in goods and services... we are looking to double it to 4 per cent by 2020," Director General and CEO FIEO Ajay Sahai said.

"As per our estimate, the world trade by 2020 would be of the size of $62 trillion dollar, a share of 4 per cent would translate into our exim trade of $2,500 billion, from the present levels of $750 billion," he said adding that exports then could be in range of $1,000-1,200 billion.

"If targets of this magnitude are to be met then the state also has to supplement them through their own efforts. More and more entrepreneurs need to join exports," Sahai said.

"So in a first, we have begun capacity building exercise from today in Gujarat where entrepreneurs and state officials shall be trained during two day workshops. It shall be done at 13 places across the state," he said.

"Our objective is to set up at least nine facilitation centres in export centric clusters of Gujarat, which could serve as one touch points for all export related issues," Sahai said.

"We are in talks with the Gujarat government... one or two facilitation centres are likely to come in this financial year, while rest are expected to be set up by next fiscal year end," he said adding that idea is FIEO and Gujarat government jointly set up these centres to boost exports.