In a fillip to exporters of farm products struggling to bear the burden of increased freight costs, the Centre has enhanced the rates of assistance under the transport and marketing assistance scheme and also included dairy products under its ambit.

"Rates of assistance have been increased, by 50 per cent for exports by sea and by 100 per cent for exports by air under the revised scheme," according to an official release.

The Department of Commerce has notified the Revised Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) for Specified Agriculture Products Scheme’ for exports effected on or after April 1, 2021 up to March 31, 2022, the release pointed out.

In February 2019, the government had introduced TMA for Specified Agriculture Products Scheme to provide assistance for the international component of freight, to mitigate disadvantage of higher freight costs faced by the Indian exporters of agriculture products.

The scheme was initially applicable for exports between March 1 2019 and Match 31 2020 and was later extended by one year.

Dairy products, which were not eligible under the earlier scheme, will now get assistance under the revised scheme, the release added.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will shortly notify the procedure for availing assistance under the revised scheme.

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