Govt enhances scope of transport and marketing scheme for agri exports

The scheme has been extended till March 31, 2022, the ministry stated. The existing scheme will remain in operation for exports effected up to March 31, 2021.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will shortly notify the procedure for availing assistance under the revised scheme.

“Enhanced assistance under the revised scheme is expected to help Indian exporters of agricultural products to meet rising freight and logistics costs,” the ministry said in a statement.

Dairy products, which were not covered under the earlier scheme, will be eligible for assistance under the revised scheme. Rates of assistance have been increased, by 50 per cent for exports by sea and by 100 per cent for exports by air.

In February 2019, the Department of Commerce had announced the scheme for providing financial assistance for transport and marketing of agricultural products to boost exports of such commodities to certain countries in Europe and North America.

Under the TMA plan, it reimburses the international portion of freight charges and provides assistance for marketing of agricultural produce.

“Now the Department of Commerce has notified revised TMA for specified agriculture products scheme for exports effected on or after April 1, 2021 up to March 31, 2022. The existing scheme will remain in operation for exports effected up to March 31, 2021,” the statement said.

The scheme was introduced to provide assistance for the international component of freight, to mitigate disadvantage of higher freight costs faced by the Indian exporters of agriculture products.

It was initially applicable for exports effected during March 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. It was later extended up to March 31, 2021.