Exports Reports 35pc Growth At $14.2 Billion In February

New Delhi: The country''s exports registered a 35 per cent growth in February 2008 with the cumulative export growth during the first 11 months of just-ended fiscal 2007-08 showing a robust growth close to 23 per cent in dollar terms, against heavy odds the exporters confronted throughout the year due to the unrelenting increase in the value of rupee. Provisional trade data released by the Directorate-General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI&S) show that the country''s exports during February 2008 were estimated at $14.2 billion, against $10.5 billion in the corresponding month of 2007. At best, exporters say that the final month export figure could at best be $14-15 billion which itself would be a tall order. Interestingly, while the export growth in rupee terms during February 2008 was 21.7 per cent, cumulative export growth during the first 11 months of the fiscal 2007-08 was in single digit at close to 9 per cent. The reason for this pronouncedly lukewarm export growth in rupee terms was ascribed to the persistent increase in the rupee value vis-a-vis the US dollars, against which most of the country''s export receipts are denominated.