• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Port Info

• Ships in Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• The Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Anna Peter

Mumbai , Sept. 3

INDIA'S textile exports to the US have been rising but sales to the European Union have fallen.

Exports of India as well as countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan to the European Union for January-April 2005 have declined over the corresponding year-ago period.

It was assumed that the end of quota system would benefit low-cost fabric and apparel manufacturers in Asia, South America and Africa. However, data from OTEXA (Office of Textiles and Apparel, US Dept of Commerce) and Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities) show that this is not so as far as the European Union is concerned.

According to Eurostat data, Indian textile and clothing exports to the EU grew 6.82 per cent, to Euro 1,777 million from Euro 1,663.60 million.

While clothing exports grew by 13.19 per cent, exports of textiles declined by 2.89 per cent, indicating a growing shift in the EU's sourcing patterns.

Similarly, and in the same period, growth in textile and clothing exports fell for India's competitors such as Indonesia (by 20.24 per cent), Pakistan (by 13.76 per cent), Thailand (by 13.35 per cent), Vietnam (by 17.05 per cent), Egypt (by 9.33 per cent) and Bangladesh (by 6.76 per cent).

However, China and Brazil have profited, with growth of 34 per cent and 21.74 per cent respectively for January-April 2005.

According to a Texprocil report, for the same period, India did well in categories such as t-shirts, trousers, blouses and table linen/toilet linen.

Though cotton yarn exports to the EU increased in terms of volume, it decreased in value terms.

According to Eurostat data, cotton grey fabric, sweaters and pullovers and men's shirts exports decreased both in terms of volume and value.

The export trend to the US for apparel was different. According to a Texprocil report, apparel exports to the US for the first five months of 2005 grew by over 11 per cent compared with the same period in 2004.

China's apparel exports to the US in the January-May period 2005 grew almost 86 per cent, dominating the US market with a share of 21 per cent, according to OTEXA information.

Apparel exports grew 38 per cent, while Bangladesh grew 26 per cent in the same period in US imports. Vietnam, Indonesia and Pakistan have also improved export positions, but Turkey, a popular textile manufacturer for the West, lost market share.

For textile imports to the US, Texprocil pegs the growth at 11.14 per cent in the January-May 2005 period over the previous corresponding period. Once again, in value terms, China's growth was at 27 per cent, capturing about 32.5 per cent of US imports for the January-May 2005 period.

India's growth was at 16 per cent, representing a market share of 8.06 per cent.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Asian textile nations to join hands to rule global markets

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line