Incentives to sports goods industry: Nath

Kamal Nath hinted at giving incentives to the sports goods industry, provided the Sports Goods Exports Promotion Council (SGEPC) comes up with a detailed package.

Union Minister of Commerce Kamal Nath Tuesday hinted at giving incentives to the sports goods industry, provided the Sports Goods Exports Promotion Council (SGEPC) comes up with a detailed package.

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"If the council comes up with a package, then the Ministry is ready to look at the matter," Nath said here on the sidelines of an award function of SGEPC.

"The government on its part intends to ensure full support for the facilitation of further growth of this (sports goods export) sector. The infrastructure development is likely to get more focus and this coupled with incentives and promotional schemes will provide the impetus to the exporting community to finally arrive on the world stage," he added.

The minister further said that though the industry has recorded 11 per cent growth in the year 2006-07, it is just tip of an iceberg as the sector has enormous potential.

"Sports goods industry is our priority sector. The sector has made a commendable 11 per cent growth in the previous year, but this is nothing. The growth should be 50 per cent.

"The opportunities available in this sector have not yet been fully exploited," Nath said.

He also called on the entrepreneurs to focus on brand building as it is an important ingredient in the value of the product.