Mysore industry advised to take up exports

The industry in Mysore was today exhorted to take to exports. Describing Mysore as an industrial hub with 30,000 industries, Mysore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) president Sudhakar S Shetty said, even if 10 per cent of them take to exports, 3,000 industries would benefit from the global market.

However, Mysore had a drawback with regards to government facilities, had power problem and infrastructure. Another issue was the lack of good connectivity with other major cities through air, road and rail. He said, appealing to the Visvesvaraya Industrial Trade Centre (VITC) and the WTO to impress upon the governments to develop these infrastructure facilities. The MCCI, he said, had submitted a memorandum in this regard and needed further support for its proposals.

State and central governments, he said, had introduced a number of policies and schemes. But, there was a gap between these policies and entrepreneurs. Today's awareness programme was a part of the effort in that direction.

More than these major drawbacks, he said what was presently needed was the support of bankers for taking to exports by local industrialists.

Highlighting the contribution of the small scale industrial sector, Shetty said, statistics revealed 40 per cent to 50 per cent export contribution came from the SSI sector and it contributed 40 per cent to the Indian economy. "This shows we have strong base but we do not know the means of reaching to different corners of the world. There are excellent opportunities for expanding export market in respect of readymade garments, leather and food products. If this was exploited by the SSIs properly, they can grab a good share in the export market," he added.

The first in the series of 2013 seminars, it was organised in association with Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Centre (VITC), Bangalore and District Industries Centre (DIC), Mysore, to sensitise stakeholders and relevant parties on the subject, its importance to States, the crucial areas which have broader ramifications on international trade from the WTO perspective and the way forward. Experts shared their expertise and inputs with the participants.