NEW DELHI: In order to enhance agri exports,the central government has enhanced the scope of Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme for specified agriculture products by increasing rate of interest and including dairy products under its purview, and extended the scheme till March 31, 2022.
“Enhanced assistance under the revised scheme is expected to help Indian exporters of agricultural products to meet rising freight and logistics costs,” the ministry of commerce said in a statement on Friday.
Dairy products, which were not covered under the earlier scheme, will also be eligible for assistance under the scheme. Apart from that, the rates of assistance have been increased, by 50% for exports by sea and by 100% for exports by air. “Now the Department of Commerce has notified revised TMA for specified agriculture products scheme for exports effected on or after April 1, 2021 up to March 31, 2022,” the statement said.
The existing scheme will remain in operation for exports effected up to March 31, 2021,” it added.
The scheme was announced in 2019 for providing financial assistance for transport and marketing of agricultural products to boost exports of such commodities to certain countries in Europe and North America.Under the Transport and Marketing Assistance plan, it reimburses a certain portion of freight charges and provides assistance for marketing of agricultural produce. Exporters were demanding to extend the scheme as freight charges continue to increase.