Exports of garments increase as Christmas demand picks up

Mumbai, Ta. 18 December 2020, Friday

Garment exports from Tirupur, the country's largest knitwear manufacturing hub, are expected to grow by 15 per cent in the December quarter. This growth figure is the best in the current year, sources in the Tirupur Exporters Association said.

In the December quarter, we expect exports to grow by 10 per cent in terms of value and 15 per cent in terms of volume. Given the way demand has increased, exports are likely to surpass last year's figure of Rs 2,000 crore. The first two months of the current financial year were washed out due to the lockdown.

He said the increase in exports was due to the boycott of Chinese goods and the increase in Christmas purchases. In the current quarter, exports were up 3 per cent in October and 1 per cent in November and are on the rise in December, said an official of the Apparel Export Promotion Council.

Workers who have fled their homes due to the lockdown are returning to work. Due to Christmas, in addition to export demand, orders have also started coming from the backyard. However, the rise in corona cases in Europe could be a cause for concern, he added.

At Tirupur, 80 per cent of garments are exported while 30 per cent of goods are sent to domestic markets.

Indian exporters are getting help due to US ban on Chinese cotton and knitwear. Garment exports from Tirupur last year stood at Rs 2,000 crore.