SEZ exports fail to impress; grow at 23 per cent in Q1 2011-12
22 Jul 2011
Exports from the special economic zones (SEZs) have grown by 23 per cent during fiscal first quarter ended 30 June 2011, much slower than the 40 per cent growth in aggregate exports from the country during the period.
Merchandise exports from 143 operational SEZs during the April-June quarter totaled Rs72,255 crore, data provided by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) showed.
The growth in overall exports is attributed to a rush for availing the benefit of tax refund under the Duty Paid Passbook Entitlement (DEPB) scheme, which is ending on 30 September 2011.
"Overall exports, outside the SEZs, were pushed during the first quarter of the fiscal because traders wanted to avail the benefit of tax refund under the DEPB scheme, which is ending on 30 September this year," FIEO president Ramu S Deora said.
Exports from SEZs had grown 43 per cent to Rs3,15,000 crore during the 2010-11 financial year, from Rs2,20,000 crore during the previous fiscal, according to data released by the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES).
Out of the 585 SEZs formally approved by the government so far, 381 SEZs have been notified as of 15 July 2011.
