AEZ policy provisions to be changed to boost agri exports: Nath

New Delhi, Dec 26 (UNI) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath today said plans were afoot to effect changes in the Agri-Economic Zone (AEZ) policy provisions to boost agricultural exports from the country.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) award ceremony here, he said he had urged the FIEO to look into this matter so that there could be value-addition to India's agricultural exports.

Stating that our farmers were in no way less than their foreign counterparts, he said, "Indian farmers need assistance and resources to be able to compete with farmers abroad." Currently, India processes two per cent of its agricultural produce compared to 30 per cent in Brazil, 70 per cent in the US and 82 per cent in Malaysia, according to official figures.

Regarding Special Economic Zones, the Minister said within the next year the SEZs would "emerge as the new engines of growth".

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