Exporters protest against quota

Garment exporters have been hit badly by a sharp rise in the cut-off price of quota alloted on first-come-first-serve (FCFS) which was released on July 10. The cut-off prices for several garment categories are so high that many exporter-manufactureres have been unable to procure quota for orders on hand. Interestingly, all these categories are US quota categories. The main categories are Category 340 (mens shirts) for which the cut-off price is $10.50 per piece, Category 341 (ladies blouse) for which the cut-off price is $8.75, Category 334 (mens coats) is $25.65 and Category 335 (womens jackets) is $15.01.

India's plea to European Commission: India has asked the European Commission (EC) to resolve the anti-dumping issue relating to exports of unbleached cotton grey fabrics (UCF) through mutual talks and not by taking recourse to anti-dumping procedures. Commerce minister Ramaiah saids the minister's statement assumes significance in the light of the EC initiating fresh investigations on July 11 on charges of dumping of UCFf by India and five other countries after the EU had earlier rejected a move by the EC to make provisional duty on UCF `definitive'.

Orissa move on coffee gardens: The Orissa government has invited financial offers from seven entrepreneurs for awarding the state-owned coffee gardens on management contract basis. The government has shortlisted 16 firms and individual entrepreneurs out of the 35 applicants who responded to the invitation for participating in the privatisation of the coffee gardens.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.