New Delhi: The government is considering raising export target by an ambitious 30 per cent for 2008-09, even as the 160-billion-dollar target for the current fiscal looks difficult to achieve.

"For the next fiscal, the government could set an export target of about 200-225 billion dollars", a senior commerce ministry official said here.

The export target will be announced in the annual review of the Foreign Trade Policy, expected early next month. Against the target of 160 billion dollars, the total exports for 2007-08 may total 155 billion dollars, according to official estimates.

The export growth rate during April-January 2007-08 works out to be 21.6 per cent over the corresponding period previous year.

The government's export target for the current fiscal is 28 per cent more than 125 billion dollars recorded in the previous year.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath had earlier said that exports of 152-155 billion dollars would be achieved, as indicated by the present rate of above 20 per cent growth, despite appreciation of rupee and signs of a global economic slowdown.

However, exporters, already hit by the rupee rise, are skeptical about the current fiscal's export target when the signs of a slowdown in the US economy are looming large on them.

The appreciation of the rupee by about 11 percent in the last 10-11 months hit the exporters, especially in the textile, handicrafts, marine and leather sectors, which also faced huge job losses.
Source : PTI