Shedding the shadows of the global downturn gripping the SEZ exports, the Reliance industry special economic zone in the Jamnagar area of Gujarat is all set to emerge as one of the largest SEZs in the country as it is expected to export goods worth Rs 50,000 crore during the current financial year. The figure will be the largest in terms of exports as compared with any other SEZ in the country, the SEZ Development Commissioner, Upendra Vasishth said.

Recalling the performance of SEZs across the country in the recent past he said that in 2008-09, exports from all SEZs in India had been pegged at Rs 99,500 crore of which exports from Gujarat alone stood at Rs 26,000 crore. This financial year exports from all the SEZs are poised to touch Rs 1,70,000 crore. The Rs 25,000-crore Jamnagar Export Refinery Project (JERP), which is located in the SEZ premises, became officially functional on December 25, 2008, but factually became fully operational in July and exports from the refinery have already touched Rs 18,000 crore till August 31, this year.

The JERP has added nearly 20 percent to the country refinery capacity and has made RIL the largest crude oil refining company in the private sector in India. The refining capacity of JERP is 29 million tons per annum and its exports are primarily aimed at the US and European markets. The refinery produces about 31 kilo tons a day (ktpd) of diesel, 25 ktpd of petrol, along with sulphur, pet coke, fuel oil and napatha. The polypropylene plant in the SEZ also has a capacity of about a million tons per annum and the plant is working to its capacity to cater to heavy export orders, he claimed.