Apart from brand promotion, they will also have to think in terms of supplying products in large volumes with the countries in the region opening their economies, Vidya told a round-table on trade with Africa organised by the Federation of Indian Export Organisation here. In the past few years the two-way trade had grown, but it was far below the potential, Vidya noted and added that India's share was a measly two per cent of Africa's'global trade.

He said he could not understand why in respect of five countries in the region,India's trade had increased, while in the case of other five countries, it had not progressed satisfactorily.

Vidya also reminded Indian businessmen that Africa with its rich natural resources offered great scope for companies with muscles to go in for acquisitions.

Earlier, FIEO president Navratan Samdria said India's exports to the African countries rose from Rs 5,542 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 6,285 crore in 1998-99. During the same period,India's imports from these countries doubled from Rs 7,914 crore to Rs 14,147 crore.

India's export basket covered a wide range of items which included rice other than basmati, cotton yarn, fabrics, drugs and pharmaceuticals,fine chemicals, engineering goods, computer software, plastics and linoleum products besides a range of services.

Samdria said that most of the sub-Saharan African countries were facing acute foreign exchange problems for various reasons.This had led blockage of large sums due to Indian exporters. Ways and means had therefore to be found to overcome the situation and enable these countries to procure goods and services under long-term credit.

The Francophone West Afican countries and also some of the Portuguese-speaking countries had remained out of the arbit of India's trade. Indian exporters would have to make special efforts to overcome this hurdle and tap these markets, though inadequate shipping links came in the way.

The FIEO president also noted that South Africa had instituted anti-dumping investigations against some Indian products like paper insulated lead covered electric cables, clear float and sheet glass, carbon black. He hoped that a mutually agreed arrangement would be arrived at to avoid such measures.