India's apparel exports touched a figure of one billion US dollars during April 2011, registering a year-on-year rise of 13 percent over US$ 972 million achieved in April 2010.
This increase in country's overall apparel exports can be attributed to soaring demand from the US and the European markets. In the post-recession period, the demand from these markets has increased and the positive trend is expected to continue throughout the 2011-12 fiscal.
Presently, around 65 percent of India's total apparel exports are to the US and Europe.
In the current fiscal, apparel exports are expected to touch US$ 14 billion, as sizeable orders are flowing in, not only from the traditional western markets, but also from new markets like Latin America.
The 2010-11 fiscal saw garment exports move up by 4.4 percent to US$ 11.1 billion, over the previous fiscal.
India's garment industry serves as a source of livelihood for around seven million people, 50 percent of whom are employed in the export sector.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India