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DECLARATION of an ambitious export target is no matter. But the taste of the pudding is in the eating, says the adage. The commerce minister has projected an export target of $8.56 billion last Wednesday, exuding his optimism about achieving the same. He has, thus, expressed his confidence in the ability of the export mainstays such as ready-made garments (RMG) and frozen food, alongwith traditional exports like jute and tea, plus new manufactured and agricultural products to boost export receipts matching the target. These items are showing some significance in the export field and contributing cumulatively toward attainment of the higher export target.
However, wishes are one thing and realities another. The minister did not discuss what steps have been already taken or are about to be taken to facilitate the exporters to reach the higher export goal. As it is, exporters remain burdened with many negatives from poor power and gas supplies to inefficient port conditions that put curbs on their competitiveness. How under these conditions, they can post a better performance for their own good and the sake of the economy remains a vital question.
Sometime ago, a report in this paper highlighted the gas crisis that had gripped the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) with its concentration of fully export-oriented industries. This exclusive zone has its claim to priority in energy consumption because of its being geared completely to export activities. Even then, it cannot be well supplied with its main energy requirement. If this is the state of things, then the situation in other export-based enterprises outside such zones needs no stretch of the imagination. Reportedly, the relevant minister stressed that no improvement in gas can be expected until January. Hundreds of export-oriented industries across the country are also suffering from power supply which is lower than their needs. More importantly, they experience power shut-offs at the time of their peak production hours. That compounds their losses and diminishes productivity. Added to such blights are very sluggish unloading and dispatch of industrial raw materials and shipment of the export products from the country's main seaport - the Chittagong port. All of these frustrating conditions in the view of exporters have been waiting for decisive curative actions. But there is no indication that these measures are about to be taken at an early date. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to feel sceptical about rising exports, notwithstanding the optimism of the minister.
The chamber bodies of the country submitted a list of proposals to the government last year. Such proposals included, among others, the opening of export cells at all commercial banks, lowering of rate of interest on export loans to 5.0 per cent, round-the-clock smooth functioning at ports, reduction in the charge of electricity consumed by export-oriented enterprises, extension of facilities to 80 per cent export-oriented industries similar to those enjoyed by the one hundred per cent export-oriented industries etc. Furthermore, they made strong pleas for duty-free import of capital equipment and raw materials, establishment of a trade facilitation centre, a new export product development centre, institutional capacity building to explore export markets, etc. All such suggestions should have been acted upon in time. But it appears that these have become the casualty of the traditional lethargic bureaucratic procedures. Therefore, the reaching of the declared export target and even surpassing it are dependent to a large extent on the government playing its part in creating the enabling conditions that the exporters have been demanding.
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