Engineering, oil products boost export figures

A robust increase in export of engineering and petroleum products and plastics has led to a strong overall performance on this front this year.

According to latest government data, exports grew 22 per cent in September; for the April-September period, the growth was 23 per cent.

"Quick estimates reveal that the trend of high growth in export of engineering, petroleum products and plastic products seen in the first quarter of the current fiscal is continuing," a commerce ministry official said.

Quick monthly estimates are preliminary numbers and, therefore, are not publicly released.

Quick estimates for September show that export of engineering goods increased by 66.5 per cent to Rs 10,927 crore, compared with Rs 6,562 crore in the same month last year.

Plastics and linoleum exports during the month stood at Rs 1,424 crore, compared with Rs 881 crore in September 2005, an increase of around 62 per cent. Export of petroleum products during the month increased by 26 per cent to Rs 5,750 crore from Rs 4,554 crore.

Among traditional items, carpet exports grew by 96 per cent to Rs 380 crore from Rs 194 crore in September 2005. Gems and jewellery grew by a modest 14 per cent to Rs 7,380 crore from Rs 6,454 crore last year.

Items which have shown a dip in exports during the month include handicrafts, computer software (excluding exports through satellite transmission and off-shore development), ready-made garments, tea, and cashew.

Handicraft exports declined by nearly 38 per cent to Rs 114 crore, compared with Rs 183 crore in September 2005, while export of ready-made garments of all textiles dipped by 4 per cent to Rs 2,836 crore from Rs 2,964 crore.

Export of tea in the month declined by nearly 16 per cent to Rs 150 crore from Rs 178 crore in September last year, while export of computer software (excluding exports through satellite transmission and off-shore development) declined by over 87 per cent to Rs 5 crore from Rs 39 crore last year.