Question : TRADE WITH CHINA

(a) the details of goods imported and exported from China along with the revenue earned from import/export of goods during each of the last three years and the current year, item-wise, value-wise;

(b) whether thousands of Indian workers in the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises of the country have been rendered unemployed due to increasing import of goods from China;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto;

(d) whether the Government has requested China to open its market for Indian agricultural products to address the issue of increasing trade deficit with China;

(e) if so, the details thereof and the issues discussed with the Chinese Government along with their reaction in this regard; and

(f) whether the Government proposes to reduce the import of Chinese goods and if so, the details of the action taken in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (DR. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a): Details of goods imported and exported from China during last three years and April to September during current year 2012-13 are appended as Annexure-I.

(b)&(c): No such report in this regard has been received.

(d) & (e). Government of India has consistently been raising the issue of market access and removal of bottleneck of Indian agricultural products with the Chinese side. In the year 2000, India requested China to grant market access for 9 fruits and 8 vegetables. The Chinese Government allowed the import of Indian mangoes in year 2004.Approval to the import of grapes and bitter gourd was granted in the year 2005. Market access of remaining 14 fruits and vegetables is yet to be granted. Further, China approved the import of Indian Basmati rice in April, 2012. However the formalities have not been completed by them. Chinese side has also been requested to lift ban on export of bovine meat to China. Issue of market access to Indian agricultural products has been taken up at various inter-Governmental interactions at different levels. This issue was also taken at Ministerial level during the 9th Session of the India and China Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science and Technology (JEG) held on August 27, 2012 in New Delhi.

(f): No, Madam. However Government of India is making all possible efforts for enhancing merchandise exports from India to bridge the trade deficit with China.