Surge in Chinese Fabric Imports Raises Concerns Among Indian Textile Manufacturers
By 2024-07-04 11:26:31
Indian Textile Manufacturers Are Concerned About the Increase in Chinese Fabric Imports
The Gujarat textile industry is grappling with an influx of low-cost fabric imports from China, prompting industry representatives to raise the issue with Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh. Reports indicate that China is supplying cotton-like fabric at nearly half the price of Indian cotton fabrics, adversely affecting domestic manufacturers. Ahmedabad is renowned as India’s cotton textiles hub, while Surat is known for its polyester textiles industry.
Gaurang Bhagat, President of the Maskati Cloth Market Association, stated, “China has been dumping fabrics for a long time, and the past few months have seen a surge in imports from the country. Prior to last Diwali, there was a significant increase in Chinese fabric imports. There have even been instances of Chinese suppliers sending goods with lower invoices to pay less duty, which is detrimental to the domestic textiles sector. We demand restrictions on fabric imports from China.”
Last week, industry representatives met with Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh to discuss this issue. Bharat Chhajer, former Chairman of the Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL), said, “At the meeting, we highlighted the problem of Chinese fabric dumping. We demand that the central government set a base price for imports. The Centre has already implemented such a system for the knitting industry following substantial imports from China. Similar measures are needed to protect the domestic textiles industry.”
Sandeep Shah, Co-Chairman of the Textile Task Force of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), added, “China is dumping polyester and synthetic fabrics in the Indian market at almost half the price of cotton-like fabrics, severely impacting the market. The demand for cotton textiles is shrinking due to higher prices, forcing domestic manufacturers to blend polyester to remain competitive. Restrictions on Chinese imports are essential.”
