EXPORT DEVELOPMENT (X PLAN) SCHEMES
Guidelines for grant-in-aid for “Undertaking Export Promotion Tours in Identified Markets Abroad”
 

The objective of the scheme is to encourage the Indian exporters to develop personal rapport with the overseas buyers and to build business relationship with the importers besides convincing them about the product capabilities achieved in the areas of spice processing/value addition in terms of quality in India.
 Natures of tours covered under the scheme are:
» Participating in International Trade Fairs/Exhibitions, meetings, Conferences/ Seminars/ Promotional Trips etc.
» Individual sales promotion tours abroad.
Eligibility
The exporters of spices who have obtained Indian Spices Logo and/or Spice House Certificate issued by the Board and those exporters whose brand name has/have been registered with the Board are eligible to avail assistance under this scheme. The exporters can undertake the tour for one or more purposes mentioned in a year during the Xth plan period subject to the ceiling of financial assistance stipulated.
 
Nature of Assistance:
Assistance in the form of reimbursement of travel expenses and stall rent etc. in Indian currency for undertaking the export promotion tour abroad. The financial assistance will be limited to 50% of the economy class airfare or Rs.1.50 lakh whichever is less in the case of Spices Logo/Spice House Certificate holders and Rs.40,000/-in the case of exporters whose brand/s is/are registered with the Board.
 
Application:
Application in the prescribed form should be submitted by the exporters for obtaining an approval from the Spices Board prior to the commencement of the tour.
 
Claim:
The applicant has to submit the claim with in a period of three months from the date of arrival in India along with the following documents –
1) Used Air ticket Jacket.
2) Proof of payment effected to the Travel agent.
3) Brief tour report.
4) Pre Stamped receipt.
5) Declaration, saying that no financial assistance availed from any other Govt. Agencies for the same programme.
In case the exporter who has availed subsidy/grant for the same purpose from any other source/agency, his eligible amount of assistance from the Board for the purpose will be limited to the maximum ceiling prescribed under financial assistance, excluding the subsidy amount received from other sources.
The exporters who avail of this assistance shall execute an agreement with the Board in stamp paper worth Rs.50/-for an export obligation to the tune of Ten times of the grant to be achieved with in a period of Five years from the date of availing of the assistance and also a Bank Guarantee equal to the grant amount availed from a Nationalized Bank, with validity period of at least one year, renewable until fulfilling of export obligation. The entire amount will have to be returned to the Board with interest, if export obligations is not achieved with in the stipulated period.