A couple of major issues have impacted the country’s textile and clothing sector in the past year. Expectedly, the industry’s aspirations for the Union Budget are related to the revival of exports and the GST. According to data available with the industry and the export promotion councils, readymade garment exports grew less than 1% between April and November 2016 in dollar terms and dropped 3.03 % in rupee terms.
Fabric exports were to the tune of $230.37 million in April 2017 and slumped to $113 million in October. Yarn exports fared better in value terms at $267.33 million in April and $354.05 million in October last year. However, in terms of volume, yarn exports stayed almost flat. Apparel exports dropped 8% in December alone compared with a year earlier. “Between 2009 and 2015, the domestic market grew 10% every year for the Indian textile and clothing sector, and exports rose almost 8% year-on-year,” said P. Nataraj, chairman of Southern India Mills’ Association. “For the last three years, exports have almost stagnated. Countries such as Vietnam have overtaken India in yarn exports to China.”
When the global economic slowdown hit the industry seven years ago, the Centre had come out with a time-bound stimulus package. The two major policy decisions of the government in the recent past, demonestisation and GST, have impacted the industry more than the economic slowdown, he said. “What the industry needs now is a stimulus package.” The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) pointed out that according to a study of 600 SME units, the number of units under the SME 2 category rose from 54 to 191 between March and September and the number of NPA units went up from 18 to 32 during the same period.
A stimulus package will give relief to the units,said Sanjay K. Jain, chairman, CITI. Rebate of State levies (ROSL) is critical for revival of exports. Towards this, the government should sanction adequate funds for ROSL and extend it to all products instead of just garments and made-ups, said Mr. Jain. According to data available with the ministry, the allocation for ROSL for 2017-2018 was ?1,555 crore and it has been exhausted. However, according to the industry, garment exporters got ROSL only for April and May and made-up exporters received rebates till July this financial year. India exports garments and made-ups worth $23 billion annually. The average tax rate after GST for garments and made-ups is 1.8%; it was 3.7% before GST.
‘Allocations must rise’
The industry estimates it needs about ?2,100 crore to clear pending ROSL reimbursements and another ?2,500 crore for the next fiscal. So, allocations need to go up substantially, sources said. The Centre should announce the drawback rates, restore the pre-GST level of incentives for exports and increase the import duty, said representatives of industry associations. The Apparel Export Promotion Council has said that under schemes such as Advance Authorisation and EPCG, applicants should get early approvals. This will lead to higher investments. Officials in the ministry said thrust areas now were going to be powerlooms, technology and export promotion.

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