Textiles is India's top labour intensive export item

12 Dec '14

2 min read

Textiles has the lion’s share in India’s exports from labour intensive sectors, according to data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), Kolkata, under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

In the first half of current financial year 2014-15, textile exports earned US$ 16.7 billion or 74.22 per cent of total $22.5 billion worth of exports made by labour intensive sectors in India.

However, the percentage of textile sector export earnings in April-October 2014 has fallen compared to the previous three years.

In financial year 2011-12, textiles sector accounted for $27.2 billion or 80.23 per cent of $33.9 billion worth of exports made from labour intensive sectors. Exports of handloom products and carpets, not included in textiles, stood at $0.6 billion and $0.8 billion, respectively.

In 2012-13, textiles accounted for $26.4 billion or 79.51 per cent of $33.2 billion earned from exports by labour intensive sectors. Similarly, in 2013-14, textile sector exports stood at $30.5 billion or 80.05 per cent of $38.1 billion fetched from exports made by labour intensive sectors.

Giving this information in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said, the Government supports exports of handloom, handicrafts and other labour intensive sectors through various schemes under Foreign Trade Policy like, Focus Market Scheme, Market Linked Focus Product Scheme, Focus Product Scheme and Duty Drawback Scheme.

In her written reply to the house earlier this week, Sitharaman said exporters of labour intensive products can also avail duty free import of capital goods under EPCG scheme and raw materials under Advance Authorisation Scheme or Duty Free Import Authorization (DFIA) Scheme.

In addition, exports of labour intensive sectors (textiles, handloom products, carpets, handicrafts, sports goods, and leather) are also supported through different schemes implemented by various Ministries and Departments, she added. (RKS)

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