Aiming to boost India's pharma exports to south-east Asian countries like South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand, the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) is sending a business delegation to these countries in the first week of October, this year.


The programme of the exporters’ delegation is being organised under the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme of the department of commerce, said Dr P V Appaji, executive director of the Pharmexcil. The team will leave on 3rd of October and will be visiting the countries till 15th.


Members, whose export turnover in last year is less than Rs.15 crore, and are having one year membership with the council are eligible for MDA. But maximum amount for reimbursement per company is Rs.70,000 only, he said.


Prior to this jaunt to the South East Asian countries, Pharmexcil will associate with an exhibition, IPEX-2011, to be held in Jakarta from September 29 to October 2. The Council will help the interested members participate in this fair by providing stalls or tables in a common area.


As per the tour programme, a member of the delegation must visit at least three countries mentioned in the list. Buyer-seller meetings will be arranged in the state capitals of all the countries. The delegates will have facilities to interact with the registration authorities of these countries and can hold meetings with the local importers also.


Exporters who want to participate in the buyer-seller meetings have to forward their confirmation along with an advance non-refundable fee of Rs.40,000. If the programme is cancelled because of any unavoidable circumstance, the amount will be refunded. Members of Pharmexcil who wish to join the team can file their applications before 31st of this month.


According to Pharmexcil, the pharmaceutical export from India to Thailand, South-Korea and Malaysia has been increasing for the last three years. In 2007-08, India earned a revenue of Rs.352.48 lakhs from pharma exports to Thailand and the export increased to Rs.573.12 lakhs in 2009-10.


The export revenue earned from South-Korea in 2007-08 was Rs.322.93 lakhs and in 2009-10 it was Rs.392.29 lakhs. In 2007-08, the revenue earned from Malaysia was Rs.164.79 lakhs and the figure rose to Rs.365.03 lakhs in 2009-10. In the case of export to Hong-Kong the revenue earned in 2007-08 was Rs.172.54 lakhs, but it decreased to Rs.162.62 lakhs in 2009-10.