Despite a three month deadline stipulated in the provisional approval granted by the Commerce ministry for the formation of Pharmexcil, in July, Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association (IDMA), Bulk Drug Manufacturers' Association (BDMA) and the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), have now sought a further extension till March 2004.

In a recent letter to the Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce Export Promotion (CAP) Section, the industry associations have said that although they planned the PHARMEXCIL to become operative with effect from April 1, 2003, it is to be postponed for another six months due to certain grounds.

According to informed sources, though it had assumed that it would enroll all exporting members and collect their fees for the year 2003-04 (About Rs 93 lakh), this is not possible now as the exporting members have already paid their annual fees for the current year to Chemexcil.

Thus, the Associations have communicated to the Commerce ministry that it would not be fair to ask the exporting members to pay membership fees again, they have no choice except to postpone the formation of Pharmexcil to March 2004, make it effective from 1.4.2004 and thus properly collect membership fees for 2003-04.