Maran calls for big market access programme

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 16. The Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Murasoli Maran, has said India must put in place a massive market access programme together with a strategy to enhance the country's export capabilities and competitiveness. This is in view of the fact that market access issues have emerged as ``strategic issues'' in the world economy today much more than at any time in the past.

Citing the example of the U.S. to underline the importance of the market access issues, Mr. Maran has pointed out that one of the lesser known trade assistance programmes practised by the U.S. government is its market access programme under which U.S. tax payers spend about $100 million annually underwriting the costs of advertising American products abroad.

For example, in 1991, $465,000 were spent on advertising McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, $2.9 million promoting Pillsbury muffins and pies and $10 million touting sunkissed oranges.

Taxpayers have paid for ads for Gallo Wine, Miller beer, Campbell's soup and Mars candy bars. At one point, U.S. raisin growers received $4 million to advertise in Japan, an amount that exceeded the Commerce Department's entire Japan Budget.

Exports of wine from California have increased in the last 10 years to $300 million per annum from a mere $25 million, he said, thanks to aggressive marketing.

Sharing this information with export award winners at a recent function here, Mr. Maran also pointed to the study by the Congressional Budget Office in 1995 which brought out the fact that the U.S. spends $28 billion a year in promoting commerce and business.

In his Senate confirmation hearings in January 1997, the then Commerce Secretary designate, Mr. William Daley, conceded that $250 million of Commerce Department export promotion in the previous four years resulted in over $40 billion in overseas sales. ``We need to take steps to make Indian products fill up the shelves in the stores around the world in larger numbers, greater volumes and as more conspicuously recognisable Indian brands,'' the Minister said.

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Section  : Business
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