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Cotton Import Duty Exemption Lowers Textile Costs*New Delhi:* (IANS) The exemption of the 11 percent import duty on cotton has led to a softening of domestic prices, which are currently between Rs 51,500 and Rs 52,500 per candy, ensuring affordable prices for the textile industry, while MSP-based support will continue to protect farmers, Parliament was informed on Friday. Minister of State for Textiles, Pavithra Margerita, said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha that since the duty exemption, international prices equivalent to S-6 cotton have decreased from approximately 79.15 US cents per pound before August 19, 2025, to approximately 73.95 US cents per pound in December 2025, indicating a downward trend in global prices.Domestic cotton prices have also decreased accordingly from approximately Rs 57,000 per candy to approximately Rs 52,500 per candy, broadly in line with the fluctuations in international prices. She said that domestic prices are influenced by global and domestic demand-supply situations, exchange rates, and quality considerations, while cotton imports during the 2024-25 season constituted approximately 13.93 percent of the total domestic consumption. Margerita added that the government supports cotton farmers through the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, which provides a return of at least 50 percent over the cost of production. For the 2025-26 season, the MSP for medium staple cotton has been fixed at Rs 7,710 per quintal and for long staple cotton at Rs 8,110 per quintal, which is Rs 589 per quintal higher than in 2024-25. To prevent distress sales, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured approximately 31.19 lakh bales of cotton worth ₹13,492 crore under Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations through 570 procurement centers across 149 districts in 11 states as of December 11, 2025. The minister stated that cotton imports from the USA have increased to meet the quality and supply requirements of the domestic textile industry, which consumes approximately 94 percent of India's cotton.During August-September 2025, including the period after the temporary waiver of the 11 percent import duty, imports from the US were aligned with industry requirements. Overall, cotton imports into India increased from 15.20 lakh bales in 2023-24 to 41.40 lakh bales in 2024-25, helping to bridge the demand-supply gap. The minister explained that these imports ensure the availability of specific cotton varieties and support export-oriented production, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of India's textile sector.The CCI procures cotton under the MSP scheme to ensure fair prices for farmers. He further added that MSP operations are continuing to protect farmers from price fluctuations and ensure remunerative returns.Read more :- CCI reduced cotton prices, selling 51,300 bales in e-auctions.

CCI Cuts Cotton Prices; Weekly E-Auction Sales Touch 51,300 BalesThe Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has reduced its cotton prices by up to ₹200 per candy during the current week. With this, CCI has sold nearly 93.27% of the cotton procured under the 2024–25 season through its ongoing e-auction programme.During the period 15–19 December 2025, CCI conducted regular online auctions across multiple centres for mills and traders. These auctions recorded total sales of around 51,300 bales for the week, reflecting steady demand from both segments.Weekly E-Auction Sales Details15 December 2025:Total sales stood at 11,600 bales, with mills lifting 9,200 bales and traders purchasing 2,400 bales.16 December 2025:The highest sales of the week were recorded at 14,800 bales. Mills bought 2,800 bales, while traders accounted for 12,000 bales.17 December 2025:Sales remained strong at 13,900 bales, including 9,900 bales purchased by mills and 4,000 bales by traders.18 December 2025:Sales declined to 5,900 bales, of which mills bought 4,400 bales and traders 1,500 bales.19 December 2025:The week concluded with sales of 5,100 bales, with mills purchasing 4,800 bales and traders 300 bales.With these transactions, CCI’s cumulative cotton sales for the 2024–25 season have reached approximately 93.27 lakh bales, accounting for 93.27% of the total cotton procured so far.

On Friday, the Indian rupee closed 88 paise higher at 89.27 against the dollar, after opening at 90.15.At close, the Sensex was up 447.55 points or 0.53 percent at 84,929.36, and the Nifty was up 150.85 points or 0.58 percent at 25,966.40. About 2538 shares advanced, 1326 shares declined, and 127 shares unchanged.read more :- The Ministry of Textiles and NICDC of India held a stakeholders' meeting on PM MITRA.

India's Ministry of Textiles and NICDC hold stakeholder meeting on PM MITRAThe National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) and the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, held a stakeholder consultation meeting to explore partnership opportunities for the development of PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model.The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a press release that this consultation is part of an ongoing series of market-sounding activities aimed at building a robust, market-aligned framework to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the PM MITRA scheme.The meeting focused on engaging potential master developers for the three proposed greenfield PM MITRA parks under the PPP/DBFOT model. These include the Lucknow park in Uttar Pradesh, spread across 1,000 acres with robust multi-modal connectivity; the Kalaburagi park in Karnataka, spread across 1,000 acres near NH 50 and major regional centers; and the Navsari park in Gujarat, spread across 1,142 acres with strategic access to ports, road, rail, and airport infrastructure.Addressing the stakeholders, the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, Neelam Shammi Rao, encouraged active industry participation and shared suggestions to strengthen collaboration for successful development and implementation. Additional Secretary Rohit Kansal highlighted PM MITRA as a transformative initiative, noting that the parks are being developed as integrated textile ecosystems of at least 1,000 acres each. He added that detailed project reports for the three states under the PPP mode, amounting to approximately ₹5,567 crore (~$6.18 billion), have already been finalized.Rajat Kumar Saini, CEO and Managing Director of NICDC, outlined the scheme's 5F vision and pointed to strong industry response, with investor interest exceeding ₹20,054 crore (~$22.25 billion) across the three states, primarily led by the blended textiles segment. He emphasized the government's focus on globally competitive infrastructure, including plug-and-play facilities, testing laboratories, single-window clearances, integrated logistics, social infrastructure, and reliable grid-connected clean power, enabling end-to-end value chain integration.The consultation saw participation from domestic and international master developers and industry stakeholders. Discussions included utility planning, common effluent treatment plant (CETP) and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) integration, modular plot development, and creating an ecosystem for both MSMEs and large anchor units. The participants expressed confidence in the PM MITRA framework and optimism regarding its implementation, the release stated.Seven PM MITRA parks have been announced in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Inspired by the Prime Minister's 5F vision, the parks are expected to attract investments of approximately ₹70,000 crore (~$77.66 billion), create around 10 lakh jobs per park, reduce logistics costs, boost FDI, and strengthen India's global competitiveness in textiles.read more :- High-income, smaller markets are key to modern fiber exports.

Small, High-Income Markets and New-Age Fibers Key to Textile Exports: Giriraj SinghTextiles Minister Giriraj Singh said India aims to increase its textile and apparel exports from approximately $40 billion to $100 billion in the next five years by targeting small, high-income markets, launching a ₹5,000 crore cotton productivity mission, adopting high-density planting, and promoting new-age fibers like milkweed, ramie, and flax.He told ET that the government is also now focusing on domestic manufacturing of textile machinery currently imported from China, Germany, and Japan, while employment in the sector is expected to increase from the current 45 million to 80 million by 2031."We are focusing on smaller countries with high per capita income and are also working on a warehouse hub and spoke model for small apparel manufacturers to boost exports," Singh said.He added that India's 15 Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners offer a $198 billion textile market, while the country's exports to these markets currently stand at only $11.5 billion. India's domestic textile market is currently valued at $180 billion and is projected to reach $350 billion in the next five years."To meet the growing demand, the target is to produce 25 million tonnes of fiber in the future," the minister said. He emphasized that the government aims to increase exports of technical textiles from approximately $4 billion to $10 billion by 2030 under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The PLI scheme for man-made fiber (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics, and technical textiles products has helped attract an estimated investment of ₹31,270 crore from 91 beneficiary companies. Exports worth ₹733 crore and a turnover of ₹7,290 crore have been achieved by the end of September. The action plan is crucial because India is the world's sixth-largest exporter of textiles, accounting for nearly 5% of global trade.Amidst the 50% tariffs imposed by the US, India is working on dedicated outreach programs in 40 countries, including the UK, UAE, Russia, Japan, and South Korea, to boost textile exports. He said, "These markets were selected before the tariffs were implemented (in August), and exports to 39 of these selected countries have increased in the last few months."Collectively, these 40 countries represent over $590 billion in textile and apparel imports, offering India significant opportunities to expand its market share.Singh added that the challenge lies in meeting domestic demand. "The first goal is to meet the demand of the domestic market and then focus on exports. The use of AI-based inspection has reduced the production of defective garments by 80%, which will ensure quality and facilitate exports to quality-conscious economies like Korea and Japan."read more :- India-Oman FTA to boost textile trade.

India–Oman FTA poised to boost textile tradeThe proposed India–Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to create significant opportunities across a wide range of sectors, including textiles, food processing, automobiles, gems and jewellery, agrochemicals, renewable energy and auto components, according to India’s minister for commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal.Addressing the India–Oman Business Forum in Muscat on Wednesday, Goyal said the agreement had the potential to substantially deepen economic engagement between the two countries, particularly with Oman positioned as a strategic gateway to the Gulf Cooperation Council region, as well as to Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa. He noted that the scope for growth under the pact was extensive, given Oman’s geographic and trade linkages.The FTA is scheduled to be signed on Thursday in Oman in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Once implemented, the agreement is expected to reduce or eliminate tariffs, lower trade barriers and improve market access for Indian exporters, enabling them to compete more effectively in the region.Textiles, which account for a significant share of India’s overall exports, are set to benefit in particular. The agreement is expected to provide preferential access to the Omani market, allowing Indian textile manufacturers to offer products at more competitive prices. The pact is also aligned with India’s broader strategy to diversify its trade partnerships, strengthen economic ties with West Asia and reduce reliance on traditional export markets.Negotiations for the India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement began in November 2023 and were concluded earlier this year. The deal will be Oman’s first free trade agreement in nearly two decades.At the same forum, Oman’s minister of commerce, industry and investment promotion, Qais Al Yousef, said India had emerged as the country’s third-largest trading partner and highlighted Oman’s continued importance as a destination for Indian investments across strategic sectors.Bilateral goods trade between India and Oman totalled approximately $10.5 billion in the 2024–25 financial year, underlining the growing economic relationship between the two nations.read more :- The rupee opened 10 paise higher at 90.15 against the dollar.

Rupee opened 10 paise higher at 90.15/USDThe domestic currency opened at 90.15 against the US dollar, as compared to 90.25 against the greenback at previous close.read more :- The rupee closed 12 paise higher at 90.25 against the dollar.

On Thursday, the Indian rupee closed 12 paise higher at 90.25 against the dollar, after opening at 90.37.At the close of the market, the Sensex fell 77.84 points, or 0.09 percent, to 84,481.81, and the Nifty declined 3 points, or 0.01 percent, to 25,815.55. Approximately 1,575 shares advanced, 2,399 declined, and 174 remained unchanged.Read more :-  The rupee opened stable at 90.37/USD.

The rupee opened stable at 90.37/USD.The Indian rupee opened steady at 90.37 per dollar on Thursday, compared to its previous close of 90.37.Read more :-   Rupee higher 71 paise to close at 90.37 per dollar

The Indian rupee higher 71 paise to close at 90.37 per dollar on Wednesday, compared to 91.08 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 120.21 points or 0.14 percent at 84,559.65, and the Nifty was down 41.55 points or 0.16 percent at 25,818.55. About 1326 shares advanced, 2498 shares declined, and 144 shares unchanged.read more :- India's textile exports are strong in over 100 countries. 

India's Textile Exports Grew by 4.6% in the Last Four Financial Years, Exports Increased to Over 100 CountriesIndia's exports of textiles and apparel, including handicrafts, have registered an annual growth of 4.6 percent over the last four financial years, rising from USD 31.58 billion in 2020-21 to USD 37.75 billion in 2024-25. This growth has been recorded across more than 100 countries, Parliament was informed.Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh told the Rajya Sabha that despite shifts in global supply chains since the pandemic, India's export performance has remained robust. This growth is attributed to strong demand for ready-made garments, cotton and man-made fiber textiles, carpets, and handicrafts.The Minister stated that the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to enhance global competitiveness across the entire textile value chain, including high-value segments, while modernizing domestic infrastructure.As part of this effort, seven PM MITRA parks have been sanctioned with significant investments to create integrated textile infrastructure. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles has also been expanded to attract substantial investments in man-made fiber apparel, fabrics, and technical textiles.Support for research and development, innovation, and market development has been strengthened through the National Technical Textiles Mission. Skilling and technology upgradation are being promoted through schemes like SAMARTH and Silk Samagra-2.An Export Promotion Mission has been launched to improve trade finance, market access, branding, and compliance for exporters, supported by 100 percent credit guarantee for MSMEs.To support traditional artisans, the Ministry is implementing programs that provide raw material assistance, upgraded equipment, solar lighting, marketing support, concessional loans, and social security. Under the Handloom Promotion Assistance Scheme, thousands of weavers have received upgraded looms and accessories. The inclusion of artisans on the India Handmade e-commerce portal and government marketplaces has also expanded market access and direct sales opportunities.read more :- Launch of BT cotton: BT seeds of straight varieties launched.