Every year the council recognises the role played by exporters by giving out awards in different categories. These awards are recognised worldwide by textile importers and hence exporters attach high importance to these awards. This year TEXPROCIL distributed 71 awards based on 29 criteria, including the coveted Gold trophy for the highest global exports. Speaking on this occasion EXPORT AWARDS CEREMONY FOR THE YEAR 2013-2014 organised by The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council Of India (TEXPROCIL), Chairman of the council Shri Manikam Ramaswami, said, “We have been able to identify the requirements in trade policy that will ensure harmony across the value chain and clearly articulated it. No more quantity restrictions for any part of the value chain... All parts of the value chain will be able to access international prices. Draw back calculation will be modular – and incentives will start from the finished goods and flow up stream with smaller numbers to ensure that at all times Indian products from „cotton to yarns to fabrics‟ will be available cheaper to Indian value-adding companies, so that the value addition within India gets encouraged.”
He pointed out, “We have a situation where, even being a cotton surplus country, every year the cotton prices go above international prices from February onwards until the new season, which severely impacts our competitiveness. This needs to be addressed. TEXPROCIL has already articulated a revenue positive solution to the ministry and hope it will be implemented within this cotton season itself.” According to the TEXPROCIL Chairman, “On the tariff front, we need to have FTAs with EU, Canada and Australia, favorable duty in China similar to Pakistan, Bangladesh etc., who have negotiated reciprocal benefits with China. We have a 34 bn US$ deficit with over 12 bn US$ imports taking place at less than five per cent duty. We need to bargain a reciprocal benefit for our textiles. China imports 20 billion US$ of textiles. We can improve our exports by a huge amount should we get a level playing field.”
“Until such time all these happen, our government needs to assist us. Fortunately, we do not need anything more than an honest implementation of the stated incentive policy, which clearly states that incentives will be given to those products that create maximum number of jobs for a given turnover; maximum net foreign exchange earned for a given turnover; freight compensation when exported to distant markets,” he added. On all three counts (as stated above), the textiles especially garments and home textiles score several times more marks than any other product exported out of India. Emphasizing on the need for implementation of the stated incentive policy, he cited, “India cannot consume the textiles produced by 32 million new workers. Export of textiles is the only way forward.”
The awards will be distributed by Minister of Textiles, Shri Santosh Gangwar on Friday evening in a grand ceremony organized in Mumbai. Shri Sanjay Kumar Panda, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India; Smt. Kiran Soni Gupta, IAS, Textile Commissioner; Shri Vitrndra Uppal, Charman, AEPC, Shri Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, SRTEPC; and Shri R. K. Dalmia, Deputy Charman, TEXPROCIL were the other honourable dignitaries present in the award ceremony.
