Hailing the measures announced in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has asked the Government to take few more steps to boost the garment sector’s shipments.

“We have asked for the duty credit scrip of 5 per cent for the garment industry, which is used to offset the Custom duty,” AEPC Chairman A. Sakthivel said in a statement today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who also handles the textiles portfolio, had yesterday unveiled a slew of incentives for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, engineering and handloom.

Sakthivel hoped that the measures would help in increasing garment exports, which were hit hard by the global demand slowdown.

“Measure like expansion of zero duty EPCG scheme, announcements on promotion of incremental exports and widening the ambit of market and product focus scheme will help in promotion of garment exports from India,” he said.

The Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme, which allows exporters to import capital goods at zero duty, would be extended beyond March.

Regarding free trade agreement between India and EU, he said that the proposed pact would provide huge opportunities for the sector.

“Our exports to EU have a major share of 45 per cent. It will be a game changer for the garment industry. We hope that it will be signed soon,” he added.

India’s textile exports declined 5.9 per cent year-on-year to $14.1 billion during the April-September period.

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