Only 3 US co's to visit Bengal to assess business potential

Kolkata, Nov 17 (UNI) Only three out of 70 companies of the US trade mission between November 29 to December 5 would visit West Bengal to study the business potential.

This was because of the "historical perception" on labour issues in the state among US investors, Principal Commercial Officer, US Consulate General, Kolkata, Alleen Crowe Nandi said here today on the sidelines of an interactive session with the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce.

In all 200 companies would participate in the mission organised by the US Department of Commerce and seventy companies out of that would move to six cities, including Kolkata, to study the business potential in different sectors.

The three companies coming to Kolkata are in the small and medium enterprises(SME) segment. They are mostly from dental equipment and high temperature ceramic sectors, she informed.

Deputy Assistant secretary of US commerce department Colleen Litkenhaus would accompany the three companies coming to Kolkata.

"We are working to change the perception and bring in more companies," she said.

To a query on US perception about formation of union in the IT sector in the state, Political and Economic Officer, US Consul General, Kolkata, Rakesh Surampudi said, "We are keeping a close watch on the situation and observe the impact on the proposed bandh by CITU on December 14." US-India bilateral trade stood at 26.77 billion dollars in 2005 and it is estimated to grow by 77 per cent between 2003-2006.

Ms Nandi said the US Consulate would try to attract more US companies in agri-business, mining, healthcare, power, energy and travel and tourism sectors to the eastern part of the country.

She said 25 US based scrap metal companies would participate in the scrap recycling trade mission between January 18 and 20.

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