TEXTILE AND APPAREL EXPORTS - ECONOMY

News: Textile and apparel exports slide 12.2% on slack demand

 

What's in the news?

       Textiles and apparel exports registered a 12.2% year-on-year decline in May as the industry continued to face low demand in its key overseas markets including the U.S.

 

Key takeaways:

       Textile exports shrank 11.8% from the year-earlier period and apparel exports contracted 12.7%. Jute products slumped 29.3%, while handicrafts and handmade carpets fell 21.1%.

       India’s textile and apparel exports last month were in total valued at $2,816 million (as against $3,206 million in May 2022) and its share in all commodity exports declined to 8.05%, from 8.22% a year earlier.

 

Reasons for the decline:

       The main reason is the sluggish demand in major importing countries including the U.S., Germany, and the U.K. on account of inflation and also piled up inventory.

 

Positive signs:

       Reports from the trade suggest that going forward, the situation is improving as exporters are slowly but steadily getting orders for supply of merchandise.

       With China also opening up after COVID there are expectations of good business opportunities especially for yarn and fabrics.

       Domestic cotton prices are also moderating giving hopes of higher sales from July/ August.

 

Indian Textile and Apparel Industry:

       The Indian Textile and Apparel Industry is valued at over US$ 100 billion, employing over 45 million people and accounting for 14% of the country's industrial production.

       India is a global leader in producing several textile products, such as being the second biggest producer of silk, cotton and Multimode Fibre (MMF).

       It is also a world leader in jute production, accounting for nearly 70% of global production.

       Additionally, based on capacity, the country has the second largest vertically integrated production base after China.

 

Stats of Textile and Apparel Exports and Imports in India:

Top 3 Importing Countries from India:

  1. China
  2. Bangladesh
  3. European Union

 

Top 3 Exporting Countries from India:

  1. USA
  2. UAE
  3. UK

 

Reference: Textile and Apparel Exports