Market access scheme to push drug exports

The basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics export promotion council (Chemexil) will tap markets like Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore under the market access initiative (MAI) programme.

The export body has also appointed the research firm Frost and Sullivan to study the market, and has identified the top ten products used in the region to help Indian drug companies penetrate the market.

"The findings of the study will be presented to the central government in the next two to three months," said the chairman of the council, Satish Wagh, at the sidelines of the India Chem 2004 conference.

India will look to promote antibiotics, anti-hypertensive and malarial drugs in this region. Similar studies have also been carried out for the US market, which is the largest buyer of Indian drugs.

Africa also has vast export potential, Wagh said.

The scheme of marketing specific products for specific regions would be adopted with a focus on antibiotics for the US market, while antiretrovirals, administered largely to HIV+ patients, would be pushed in the African market.

Menthol and organo-sulphur compounds, India's largest bulk chemical exports, would also be pushed.

Chemexil is working towards promotion of India as the destination for contract manufacturing, with international pharmaceuticals companies being encouraged to look at India as a research and development base.

Chemexil is looking at an overall growth of over 20 per cent in 2004-2005 with a target growth of roughly Rs 16,440 crore in pharma and drugs, Rs 5280 crore in dyes and dye intermediates, Rs 6180 crore in chemicals and Rs 1740 crore in cosmetics, toiletries and incense sticks.

In the past financial year, exports grew at a rate of approximately 22 per cent registering a total growth at Rs 26,428 crore.