Home > Fabrics & Garments > Full Story

Indian apparel exports continue on downtrend

Exports record 6% fall during Jan-May, 2002
Reena Mital - Mumbai

India’s exports of readymade garments continue on the downtrend, recording a fall of almost six per cent in dollar earnings, and a slight increase of 0.74 per cent in terms of quantity, during January-May 2002. Exports during the period stood at 586.5 million pieces, valued at US$ 1979.99 million, as against exports of 582.2 million pieces, worth US$ 2104.2 million, during January-May 2001.

Exports of readymade garments to restricted countries during January-May have registered an increase of 8.03 per cent in terms of quantity and by 1.11 per cent in terms of value. Exports during the year amounted to 545 million pieces, valued at US$ 1838.5 million.

Exports to the US during the period amounted to 179.2 million pieces, worth US$ 855.5 million, an increase of 24 per cent in terms of quantity, but a slight decline of 0.71 per cent in terms of dollar earnings, against the previous period.

Exports to the EU during the period under review stood at 333.8 million pieces, valued at US$ 894.8 million, an increase of 1.61 per cent, and 4.53 per cent respectively. Exports to Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the UK, Denmark and Italy have shown an increase, while other countries of the EU have shown a decline. Exports to Portugal have shown the highest increase of 54.55 per cent in terms of value.

Exports to Canada at 32 million pieces, worth US$ 88.2 million pieces, recorded an increase of 1.59 per cent, and a decrease of 12.50 per cent respectively.

Performance in the first two months of the year look to be slightly more encouraging. According to AEPC figures, exports of readymade garments to restricted countries during April-May of the current fiscal have amounted to 207.1 million pieces valued at US$ 734.2 million, an increase of 11.64 per cent in terms of quantity, and 11.94 per cent in terms of value, when compared to the same period of the previous financial year.

Exports to the US, during the period stood at 82.6 million pieces valued at US$ 380 million, an increase of 38.13 per cent in terms of quantity and 15.57 per cent in terms of value, when compared to the previous period.

Apparel exports to the EU during April-May 2002-03 amounted to 112.2 million pieces, worth US$ 321 million, a decrease of 1.53 per cent in terms of quantity, and an increase of 11.65 per cent in terms of value.

Exports to Canada recorded a fall of 4.65 per cent in terms of quantity, and 16.16 per cent in terms of value, at 12.3 million pieces valued at US$ 33.2 million, during the first two months of the current financial.

According to industry experts, there is an urgent need for the Indian apparel exporters, and the government alike to have a relook at the policies for and working of the industry, if India wants to retain its already minuscule share of the world apparel market. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been recording higher exports of textiles and apparel to the US, even as India’s exports have been witnessing a declining trend. Moreover, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka enjoy a share of around three per cent in world textile and apparel exports, the same as that of India. The worrying factor is that these countries have been able to achieve the same level of exports as India in a very short span of time.

SRT exports record 4% decline, cotton textile exports fall 10.39%

Exports of synthetic and rayon textiles have posted a negative growth of four per cent, during April-December 2001-02, at US$ 924.57 million. Exports during the previous period stood at US$ 966.44 million. The fall in quantity terms was steeper at 14.21 per cent. Exports (excluding shawls and scarves) stood at 265024.46 tonnes during the period under review, as against 308939.07 tonnes during the previous period.

Itemwise analysis reveals that fabrics alone recorded a positive growth of 23.64 per cent to US$ 467.90 million. Growth in terms of quantity was around 27 per cent, to 77548.80 tonnes during April-Dec 2001-02, as against 61078 tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Exports of shawls/scarves recorded a fall of 16.53 per cent in dollar earnings, to US$ 64.59 million. Exports of all other made-ups stood at US$ 162.39 million, a fall of 9.46 per cent during the periods under consideration.

Fibre exports recorded a fall of as high as 43.18 per cent to US$ 18.50 million, as against US$ 32.56 million during the previous period. Filament yarn exports fell by as much as 37.45 per cent, from US$ 171.35 million in the previous period, to US$ 107.19 million in the current period. Spun/blended yarn exports declined by 17.11 per cent, to US$ 153.61 million. Total yarn exports recorded a fall of 26.67 per cent to US$ 275.77 million.

Textile exports have continued to record negative growths, with cotton textile exports registering a fall of 10.39 per cent during April-January 2001-02. Exports stood at US$ 2658.79 million during the period, as against exports of US$ 2967.12 million during the corresponding period of the previous year. Exports of cotton yarn recorded a fall of 14.7 per cent to US$ 913.21 million from US$ 1070.68 million, during the period. Cotton fabric exports fell by 8.9 per cent to US$ 856.31 million, from US$ 940.24 million, and exports of made-ups recorded a decline of 6.9 per cent to US$ 889.27 million during April-January, 2001-02, as against exports of US$ 956.20 million during the previous period.