Will India cotton on?

By: Leonie Barrie - 30 November 2007 15:18

At first glance it looks like the Indian government has taken heed of repeated calls for help from an industry that is struggling to stay competitive in the face of a steadily rising rupee. In a relief package unveiled yesterday, there are plans to reduce the import duty on polyester and man-made fibres and this lower the raw material costs for fibre and garment makers.

But as the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) points out, these measures will only provide limited support. Why? Well more than 75% of India’s textile and garment exports consist of cotton products – for which no concessions have been made.

INDIA: Government cuts fibre duties to help exporters