The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) will set up a regional chapter in the State.
This was disclosed by Mr Walter D'Souza, Regional Chairman of the Southern Region of FIEO, while speaking at a workshop here.
The one-day workshop on ‘Export management: Procedures and documentation' was organised by the FIEO and Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE).
State's share
Mr D'Souza said exports from the State during 2010-11 were to the tune of $8.10 billion. This amounted to 3.3 per cent of those achieved by the country as a whole.
About 70 per cent of the State's export basket was from the agro and processed products exports.
The three southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were engaged in healthy competition in export promotion.
But Kerala was yet to offer meaningful competition to them. There is a felt need for framing policies at the sub-national level.
This is essential for the State if it is to follow development strategies suitable to the socio-economic, cultural and geographic characteristics.
Growth strategy
“Kerala should look to follow a more focussed export-led growth strategy. Export activity produces ripple effect,” Mr D'Souza said.
The Chairman of the KSIE, Mr M. C. Mayin Haji, inaugurated the workshop.
KSIE was willing to extend all support to FIEO for setting up the regional chapter either in Thiruvananthapuram or Kochi, he said.
Mr Feby Varghese, Managing Director, KSIE; Ms Jaicy Paul, Assistant General Manager, State Bank of India; Mr K. Radhakrishnan Nair, General Manager, KSIE, K. Radhakrishnan Nair and Mr K. Unnikrishnan, Director, FIEO, also spoke.