Mumbai: Indias exports have taken a severe beating in the current year. And, if the recession in the world economy continues, there is little scope for the exports to grow in the latter half of the current fiscal.

According to the figures provided by the export council, 10 of the 16 important sectors registered a decline in exports in the first quarter ending 30 June 2001. The largest decline was seen in the textiles segment - a fall of 21 per cent.

In actual terms, textile exports declined from $2.85 billion in the first quarter of the previous fiscal to $2.25 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal. Textiles constitute about 23 per cent of total exports of the country.

Similarly, exports of gems and jewellery and engineering products, too, registered steep falls. While exports of gems and jewelry declined 8.4 per cent to $1.46 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal, that of engineering products fell 5.90 per cent to $1.31 billion in the period ended 30 June 2001. The figures in the corresponding period were $1.59 billion and $1.39 billion respectively.

Six sectors that defied the overall declining trend to register increases in exports are petroleum products, electronic goods, leather, leather products, sports goods and unclassified exports. These six sectors contributed about 31 per cent to the total exports of the country, and were placed at $ 9.94 billion in the first quarter ended 30 June 2001. Of these, petroleum products stood out by registering an increase of more than 200 per cent. In actual terms, petroleum exports increased to $444.5 million in the first quarter ended 30 June 2001 in comparison to $113.6 million in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Exports of electronic goods too did well, rising 63 per cent to $308 million in the first quarter ended 30 June 2001 in comparison to the $189 million in the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, chemical exports rose 2.8 per cent from $1.48 billion to $1.53 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal.