India's exports grew by 34.4 per cent in April to $23.9 billion. Releasing the trade data, Dr Rahul Khullar, Commerce Secretary, said imports for the opening month of fiscal 2011-12 were up 14.1 per cent to $32.8 billion, leaving a trade gap of $8.9 billion.

During April 2011, certain sectors such as engineering (109 per cent), gems and jewellery (39 per cent), electronic goods (48 per cent), petroleum and its products, plastics and linoleum (30 per cent), chemicals grew at a robust rate.

The country's total merchandise exports aggregated $246 billion growing by an impressive 37.55 per cent in the previous fiscal. Imports in 2010-11 were $350 billion, down by 21.6 per cent and the trade deficit was $104 billion.

Sectors such as iron ore, fruits and vegetables, marine products and tobacco showed a decline. Mr Khullar said shipments generally peaked in the last quarter of a fiscal which explained the moderation in April. He said uncertainty in Europe and the not-too-encouraging data on the US economy were areas of concern. “I still remain far from sanguine that 2011 will be a good year... it is not going to be an easy summer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Federation of Indian Exports Organisations said that export numbers would remain robust till June, but the impact could be felt after the tax refund Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme is withdrawn. On DEPB scheme, Mr Khullar said that the scheme was unlikely to be extended beyond the June 30 deadline.

“Didn't we say (in August) that it would be last time that we will extend DEPB...everybody knew this (export scheme) was going to close on June 30…What the Finance Ministry's position is we will withdraw the DEPB but we will entitle the exporters to get duty drawbacks,” he said.

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