The government has prepared a Strategy Paper for doubling India's merchandise exports to 500 Billion US dollars by 2013-14. Replying to supplementaries during the question hour in the Rajya Sabha today, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Mr Jyotiraditya M Scindia said the country's trade deficit stood at around 185 billion US dollars at present. He said this is due to several factors including the depreciation in exchange rates and hike in the prices of imported petroleum products. Mr Scindia said that the government is trying to increase exports to Latin American countries, Africa and other countries to bridge the gap in the trade deficit. He said the country has already achieved 21 per cent growth in exports.