It also decided to continue with the duty neutralisation schemes, provided sops to boost agriculture, hardware and gems exports and took steps to reduce transaction costs Faced with a dismal export growth of 1.56 per cent in the first 10 months of 2001-02, commerce and industry minister Murasoli Maran in his third consecutive Exim policy speech, outlined a major policy thrust for the agriculture sector, including removal of packaging restrictions and lifting of quantitative restrictions on all agricultural products except onions and jute.
Though trading in some items will be permitted only through state trading enterprises, the government will decanalise import of petroleum and petro goods as the administered price mechanism for the sector is being dismantled from April 1.
As part of the agriculture sector package, Maran announced transport assistance for export of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, poultry, dairy and floriculture products, in addition to wheat and rice products.
