ISLAMABAD, March 1: The board of administrators of Export Development Fund (EDF) on Thursday approved Rs207.3 million for various on-going schemes to promote exports.

The meeting chaired by Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan also reviewed the progress on implementation of the various trade policy initiatives taken during the last year.

An official announcement said that these schemes include various studies to be carried out to find out the cost of doing business in neighbouring countries, particularly in spinning and weaving sectors and to suggest improvement in their productivity level.

The board also approved Rs5 million to conduct a research on trade potential in adjoining countries and Central Asian Republics (CARs) to help identify the exportable products, and suggest ways on how to increase exports to these countries.