It is also being revamped to have more features that are relevant to our readership. We felt that making the magazine a monthly will make it a better vehicle for articulating common interests and issues.

Text Not Available

The efforts of US government from the first half of 1994 to target import of low cost skirts from India and Pakistan on the flimsy argument that the skirts are too flimsy for resisting fire hazards have been widely held in textile circles all over the world as a clear anti-import move rather than a fire safety measure, especially because the product had been sold in USA for over 10 years without any fire incident, before it was acted against.

In this edition of Textile Times, we have included the view of an international agency on the compliance issue. The Cover Story has been covered through the highlights of the Budget and the assessments of one major player each in the textile and clothing sectors, on the prospects of our industry in the emerging quota-free markets.

Text Not Available

More than half of the investments recommended in the Vision Statement is required in weaving and processing segments. In both these segments, most of the activities are currently in extremely small units. Now that the concessions available to small weaving units have been significantly reduced, the feasibility of consolidation and modernization in this segment has improved.

Ecological issues including eco-labeling had been tried in some of the importing countries, especially in Europe. Apparently, the assessment was that poorer countries would find it relatively more difficult to comply with these stipulations. But in the absence of any significant price advantage for such labeling, there have been very few takers for the stipulation.

A proper vertical integration of the textile sector will not only ensure that our raw materials and intermediary products are used for improving the competitiveness of our own finished goods, but will also help in retaining the entire value addition within the country.

In the short run, if there are any pockets where prices are not remunerative, both industry and Government need to help out the farmers by prompt lifting of cotton and by MSP operations as well as financial assistance, respectively. However, it is equally important to ensure that Government assistance is not provided exclusively for cotton exports, since that would only subsidize cotton exporters in India and our competitors abroad in textile products.

The Federation has been following up the issues of repeated reductions in DEPB rates and the recent reduction as well as introduction of weight as the unit for calculation of Draw Back rates. Government has asked us for certain details relating to the duty incidence on various products. The formats stipulated by Government have been circulated by the Federation. I would request Member Associations and Associate Members to collect and member units to furnish the details at the earliest, so that these can be submitted to Government immediately.

The Federation had requested Members and Member Associations to contribute entries for the proposed Directory of Textile Mills. While some entries have been received from various regions, we need many more so that the Directory will be truly representative of the industry and the importers, clients and service providers will find sufficient details of individual mills in it. I would appeal to all textile units to send their entries to the Federation at the earliest.

US figures, which are promptly available and easily accessible, show a significant increase in its imports from India in almost all textile products. Interaction with our exporters show that their order books are better than the previous year’s and improving, especially in the value added segments of made ups and garments. On the other hand, the preliminary estimates of our Government seem to show a decline in export of textile products.