Demand for goods, services to increase in FY10: CMIE

Domestic demand for goods and services in the country is likely to be augmented in FY10 on account of a possible sharp decline in commodity prices globally and reduction in prices of branded goods, an economic think-tank said in its report.        

"We expect a sharp fall in commodity prices globally and the reduction in prices of branded goods following the excise cut in India. This will help augment demand in 2009-10," Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) said in its report on the state of the economy here.        

Most of the demand-related problems, which the industry faced following the worsening of the global liquidity crisis in September 2008, were temporary in nature, the report said.        

Besides, the prompt monetary measures taken by the RBI, consequent fall in interest rates and improvement in availibility of credit are expected to create a conducive environment for demand to grow, it said.        

"The global liquidity crisis has affected only a small section of the Indian industry, mainly the export-oriented industry," the CMIE report said, adding, "the rest have not been affected much by the global slow down." A major portion of the consumption demand in the country comes from the urban areas and Government employees, which are completely isolated from the global slowdown, the report said.        

Rural India has seen four consecutive years of agricultural growth and hike in minimum support prices of many agro-commodities in the last two years.        

In addition, sale of farmlands for industrial purposes has put more disposable income in the hands of farmers, the report said.