India's Q1 cotton textile exports up 10% in $ terms Our Coimbatore Bureau 26 APRIL EXPORT of cotton textiles from India appear to be heading for robust growth during the year 2000. The only weak link in the cotton textile export basket seems to be the cotton fabrics segment, especially the powerloom and knitted fabrics. For the January-March 2000 period, export of cotton textiles increased 13.40 per cent and 10.49 per cent in rupee and dollar terms respectively. Export data released by the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council has pegged January-March 2000 shipments at Rs 4,165.88 crore as against Rs 3,673.61 crore recorded in the corresponding previous period. In dollar terms, exports improved to $955.91m from $865.19m. Cotton made-ups segment appears to be surging ahead by recording a growth of 18.76 per cent and 15.71 per cent in rupee and dollar terms respectively. Within cotton made-ups, the products woven by the powerloom sector have recorded a sharp growth of 22.84 per cent. Notwithstanding sluggish overseas market conditions, cotton yarn continues to maintain its status as the single largest commodity in the cotton textile export basket. The share of cotton yarn to the cotton textile export basket improved to 41.58 per cent during the January-March 2000 period from 40.64 per cent recorded the corresponding previous period. Cotton yarn shipments during the first quarter of calendar year 2000 stood at 145.33 million kgs as against 125.42m kgs the previous period, an increase of 15.87 per cent. In value terms, exports improved 16.03 per cent and 13.05 per cent in rupee and dollar terms respectively. The cotton fabrics segment recorded a tardy export growth of 5.49 per cent and 2.78 per cent in rupee and dollar terms respectively. Within the cotton fabrics segment, the fabrics made in the mills sector recorded an export growth of 12.01 per cent in volume and 9.13 per cent in value, while fabrics made in the powerloom and knitted sector stitched a negative growth volume-wise. While the robust growth scenario is encouraging, the fact that price realisation has suffered during the first quarter is a matter of concern for the textile industry.
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