According to the provisional figures available from Capexil, books and publications, rubber products, footwear and paints were successful to register positive growth in terms of Indian rupee. However, it terms of dollar, it was only left to the books and publications' panel to keep the Capexil flag flying.

Capexil's overall exports in 1998-99 was Rs 7,910 crore against Rs 8,763 crore, a fall of 9.7 per cent. In terms of dollar, it is a greater fall of around 21 per cent, as exports dropped from $2,368 million to $1,870 million. Target set for the year was Rs 8,431 crore ($2,278 million).The most notable performance was from the books and publication panel. Its exports went up from Rs 169.9 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 200 crore in 1998-99, marking a growth of 17.7 per cent. In terms of dollar thegrowth was 3.1 per cent, when it went up from $45.9 million to $47.3 million. The sector also surpassed the target of Rs 170 crore ($46 million) set at the beginning of the year.

Cement was one of the poor performers. In terms of Indian rupee, the sector registered a shortfall of 31.5 per cent over the previous year. In 1997-98, cement exports were Rs 539.7 crore but it dropped to Rs 370 crore in 1998-99. In dollar terms, it fell from $145 million to $87.5 million, registering a decline of 40 per cent.

Similar is the case with granite. From exports to the tune of Rs 1,226.61 crore in 1997-98 it dropped by 16.8 per cent to end at Rs 1,020 crore in 1998-99. Exports of bulk minerals was around Rs 2,952.92 crore in 1997-98 but it dropped by 6.9 per cent next year with exports of Rs 2,750 crore only.Exports of processed minerals dropped by 3.6 per cent. In 1997-98 it was Rs 731.05 crore but it fell to Rs 705 crore in 1998-99. Ceramics' export fell by 3.3 per cent from Rs 284.31 crore to Rs 275 crore in1998-99.

Paints registered a positive growth. In 1998-99, exports were to the tune of Rs 183 crore against Rs 173.92 of the previous year, a growth of 5.2 per cent. However, in terms of dollar, exports in 1998-99 fell by 7.9 per cent from $47 million to $43.3 million. The sector also failed to meet its target of Rs 200 crore ($54 million).

Rubber products recorded a small growth of 1.3 per cent. From Rs 395.04 crore in 1997-98 it went up to Rs 400 crore. Here too, in dollar terms, there is a negative growth of 11.4 per cent, as exports dropped from $106.8 million to $94.6 million. Target for year was Rs 426 crore ($115.1 million).Exports of footwear also went up by 5.8 per cent from Rs 41.5 crore to Rs 44 crore in 1998-99 but in dollar terms it fell by 7.1 per cent as it dropped from $11.2 million to $10.4 million.