Textile Exports Jump 20% In April-August

Buoyed by cotton textile exports, Indias total textile exports increased by 20 per cent during the first five months of 1997-98 in comparison to the corresponding period last year, official sources said yesterday.

Total textiles exports between April and August were Rs 7,816.80 crore against Rs 6,546.43 crore during the same period last year, the sources said.

The export performance was more encouraging for the annual period beginning January 1997. Exports increased by 24.45 per cent in rupee terms and 17 per cent in dollar terms.

Helped by an excellent performance on the yarn export front, cotton textiles exports increased by over 20 per cent during the first five months of the fiscal to Rs 5,402 crore against Rs 4,409 crore last year.

Cotton yarn exports in value and quantity terms grew by an identical 28 per cent for the period. Over 200 million kg of yarn valued at Rs 2,525 crore was shipped against exports of 166.77 million kg valued at Rs 1,954 crore last year, the sources said.

Asian countries, barring Bangladesh, accounted for 31.74 per cent of the countrys cotton textiles exports, while Bangladesh accounted for another 10.98 per cent, they said.

European Economic Countries imported 27.74 per cent of Indian cotton textiles, the rest of Europe 5.15 per cent, the US 10.56 per cent and Africa 8.78 per cent, they added.

Export figures for the annual year were more impressive with exports rising by 63 per cent in value terms and 68 per cent in quantity terms, they said.

The January-August shipments were 356 million kg worth Rs 4,145 crore against 210 million kg valued at Rs 2,541 crore last year, they added.

However, the unit value of realisation for cotton yarn decreased during the period to Rs 116.35 a kg against Rs 119.82 a kg during the same period last year, sources said.

Knitted fabrics, cotton made-ups and sewing thread exports also made some headway, they said.

Woollen sector exports increased by 10 per cent, cotton handloom exports by 17 per cent, while synthetic and woollen handloom exports also showed good growth, the sources said.