Commerce Ministry trying to improve exports of all commodities

Erode (TN): The Commerce Ministry was giving "importance" to overall industrial development and was trying to improve exports of all commodities, its Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Friday.

"We are giving importance to industrial development in India and also trying to improve the exports of all commodities," she said while interacting with entrepreneurs, farmers and other associations here.

Praising the district for its industrial and agricultural development, she said, "though Tamil Nadu ranked first in turmeric cultivation, marketing of products require some (more) development".

She said the Ministry would give all its support if "reasonable" and "justified" suggestions were given for development of farming community and also to traders.

Stating that the global trade was in crisis and subsequently India's exports decreased, she said, "the GDP rate in China was 36 percent against India's 17 percent".

"So we have to compete with China by procuring more quality products with decreased price," she said.

Pointing to the proposed economic corridor between Vishakapatnam and Chennai, she said, "if it is extended to Tuticorin, many more developments may be made".

She said the Government was taking all efforts to improve port handling so that it can accommodate any "commodity".

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on "Zero Defect-Zero Effect" model, she said ,"such things are very essential for pollution oriented industries like leather tanning".