Jaya Shree sees export surge

Jaya Shree Textiles (JST), a part of the Aditya Birla Group, expects sales to touch Rs 1,000 crore by 2010 on the back of string exports and sales from newer products like knit yarn.

The company, which manufactures linen yarn, line fabric, wool tops and worsted yarn, has recently started manufacturing knit yarn for woolen apparels.

"Our aim to increase our reach in the international markets, through more value-added products. We aim to further strength the exports division and tap new markets," said A K Sinha, vice-president of JST.

The company will be look at manufacturing woollen garments under its own brand name, possibly at its existing facility at Rishra in Hooghly district. About 65 per cent of the company's revenue is from its exports division. Last fiscal, the company recorded a turnover of around Rs 600 crore, and this fiscal it aimed to achieve a turnover of nearly Rs 700 crore, informed Sinha. Over the last 3-4 years the company had invested about Rs 300 crore to double its plant's capacity, he added.

Merits mention, Jaya Shree is one of the few surviving textile mills in West Bengal. The West Bengal government recently announced a new textiles policy aimed at improving the sectoral contribution to the state's gross domestic product (GDP) to 10 per cent, up from the current 2.27 per cent.

It also aimed to set up an integrated textiles township in the state during the next five years, with the infrastructure to be developed in public-private partnership. Furthermore, the state government planned to set up 20 integrated textile, apparel and hosiery parks, three jute parks, 50 additional handloom clusters, silk parks together with one Integrated Silk Processing and Printing Complex (SPPC).