|
Item |
Price |
Unit |
Fluctuation |
Date |
|
PSF |
1222.37 |
USD/Ton |
1.82% |
2/5/2017 |
|
VSF |
2430.18 |
USD/Ton |
0.30% |
2/5/2017 |
|
ASF |
2008.18 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Polyester POY |
1266.02 |
USD/Ton |
2.35% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Nylon FDY |
3390.62 |
USD/Ton |
0.43% |
2/5/2017 |
|
40D Spandex |
4583.88 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Polyester DTY |
5523.94 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Nylon POY |
1513.41 |
USD/Ton |
1.96% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Acrylic Top 3D |
3172.34 |
USD/Ton |
0.93% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Polyester FDY |
2182.80 |
USD/Ton |
1.35% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Nylon DTY |
1600.72 |
USD/Ton |
1.85% |
2/5/2017 |
|
Viscose Long Filament |
3565.24 |
USD/Ton |
0.41% |
2/5/2017 |
|
10S OE Cotton Yarn |
2101.31 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
32S Cotton Carded Yarn |
3379.70 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
40S Cotton Combed Yarn |
3926.13 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
30S Spun Rayon Yarn |
3070.47 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
32S Polyester Yarn |
1819.00 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
45S T/C Yarn |
2677.57 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
40S Rayon Yarn |
3201.44 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
T/R Yarn 65/35 32S |
2299.22 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
45S Polyester Yarn |
1964.52 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
T/C Yarn 65/35 32S |
2241.01 |
USD/Ton |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
10S Denim Fabric |
1.34 |
USD/Meter |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
32S Twill Fabric |
0.83 |
USD/Meter |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
40S Combed Poplin |
1.16 |
USD/Meter |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
30S Rayon Fabric |
0.66 |
USD/Meter |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
|
45S T/C Fabric |
0.66 |
USD/Meter |
0% |
2/5/2017 |
Source: Global Textiles
Note: The above prices are Chinese Price (1 CNY = 0.14552 USD dtd.05/02/2017)
The prices given above are as quoted from Global Textiles.com. SRTEPC is not responsible for the correctness of the same.
Government has launched a special drive for opening of bank accounts and promotion of digital payments in the textilessector, by organizing special camps. As on 20.01.2017, a total of 11,86,203 bank accounts have been opened and activated for textile workers, which includes 17,245 jute workers. The above information was given by the Union Textiles Minister, Mrs. Smriti Zubin Irani today, in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. She informed that for weavers and artisans of handloom and handicraft sectors, 1,912 camps were organized upto 20.01.2017; a total of 6,28,215 bank
Government has launched a special drive for opening of bank accounts and promotion of digital payments in the textilessector, by organizing special camps. As on 20.01.2017, a total of 11,86,203 bank accounts have been opened and activated for textile workers, which includes 17,245 jute workers. The above information was given by the Union Textiles Minister, Mrs. Smriti Zubin Irani today, in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. She informed that forweavers and artisans of handloom and handicraft sectors, 1,912 camps were organized upto 20.01.2017; a total of 6,28,215 bank accounts have been opened/mobile apps downloaded by the participants of these camps.Banks have provided micro-ATM facilities at weaving clusters.
Source: Tecoya Trend
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to increase output and jobs in the textile sector, the Budget has given a major boost to textile infrastructure by increasing the allocation for building textile parks, incubation facilities, processing and development centres by almost three times. The provision for textile infrastructure has been increased to Rs 1,860 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 506 crore in FY17. These increased funds will also be used for the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana to promote employment in the sector. Infrastructure is the only segment of the total textile industry which has got higher funds. Allocation for the ministry is similar to last year. “Though there are no new schemes or programmes specifically for the textiles or garment industry, the Budget has several provisions that will help the sector to grow faster,” said Rahul Mehta, President, Clothing Manufacturers' Association of India. However, the government has cut down the support to the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) which is used to promote technical textiles and generate employment in the apparel and garment sectors. The budgetary allocation is down from Rs 2,610 crore in FY17 to Rs 2,013 crore now. “The allocation for the textile industry used to go for TUFS but the industry felt that besides modernization, more is needed in infrastructure such as plug and play facilities. So, the allocation is in the right direction as will improve the investment climate in textile parks,” said an industry expert. The largest chunk of the spend, Rs 1600 crore is expected from the remission of state taxes which will make garment exports competitive. By creating more incubation centres, the government has encouraged domestic textile manufacturing which has lost market share to Bangladesh and Vietnam. Higher infra spend will help create the logistics required for the Rs 6,006 crore package for apparels announced last year.
Source: The Economics Times
The government is planning to resume labour reforms by introducing two labour Bills in the second half of the Budget session of Parliament, a move likely to be resisted by Opposition parties and unions. The Bills are the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2016, and the Wage Code Bill, 2016. The second half of the session begins on March 9. Labour ministry officials say that all formalities, including tripartite consultations with the trade unions and approval from the law ministry, have been done. Both the Bills are with a Group of Ministers. It will make changes if required and then they will be placed before the cabinet. The government wants to integrate around 40 labour laws into four pieces of legislation. For example, all wage-related laws will be amalgamated to form the Wage Code and the industrial relations laws will be part of the related Code. In his Budget speech, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reiterated forming the four labour Codes, the process of which started since the BJP came to power but has been facing hurdles. Once passed, the Industrial Relations Code would facilitate hiring and retrenchment in factories, an official said. A previous draft of the proposed law had suggested that companies did not require approval for retrenching up to 300 employees in the case of an emergency. The Wage Code Bill was sent to the Cabinet by the labour ministry, but has been returned to the Group of Ministers, headed by Jaitley, for review. “If it is not possible to pass these in this session, it expects to do so in the next session,” said a senior labour ministry official. Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who had earlier announced that the Bills would be passed in the winter session, wants them to get Parliament’s nod in the Budget session. However, trade unions say they have voiced their strong opposition to the Bills. “We have rejected the Wage Code Bill outright. Instead of pushing the Bill, the government must focus on how workers can get cash in hand. The Centre must also see how to check the massive job loss arising out of demonetisation,” said Tapan Sen, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Source: Business Standard
Regardless of the impact of demonetisation, the state government claims that almost half the investment promised in memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to the industries department during Make in India week a year ago are “on track“.
At the Make in India week last February , Maharashtra had generated MoUs worth nearly Rs 8 lakh crore. The deals involved state departments including energy , housing, industry , information technology, tourism and micro small and medium enterprises (MSME). Within this, MoUs worth Rs 3.65 lakh crore involved industrial projects, mainly in the field of manufacturing.The state’s latest data shows that investments worth Rs 1.66 lakh crores from these MoUs with the industries department are “on track“. In terms of individual projects, 265 of the 338 MoUs with the industries department are on track, according to the government. This includes 146 new projects and 63 expansions.The major on-track MoUs in clude the Rs 8,570 crore project of Renaissance Indus Infra and Rs 6,500 crore expansion projects of General Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra and a Rs 5000 crore project with Novozymes. However, the definition of `on-track’ has a wide range stretching from a land allotment committee meeting being conducted to offer letters being issued to the work actually being completed. The biggest deal struck during the Make in India week was the Rs 60,000 crore MoU between NRI businessman Anil Agarwal’s Twinstar Display Technologies and the state government. However, while the company has identified land at Nagpur, this project is still at the discussion stage, officials say .The company is seeking incentives for electronics manufacturing with the Central government, officials say . The project aims to set up India’s first LCD manufacturing facility. On the MoUs within the MSME sector, officials say that 27% of the deals struck are in production, mainly through expansions. Of the 2,512 MoUs, 522 are in production. They account for Rs 2,940 crore or 10% of the investment promised in the MoUs for the MSME sector.
Source: Times of INDIA
The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), under the commerce ministry, Government of India, has initiated anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of polyester staple fibre (PSF) from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The period of investigation shall be 18 months from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. The investigation has been initiated following an application filed by Alok Industry Limited, Indo Rama Synthetics (India) Limited and The Bombay Dyeing & Mfg. Co. Ltd. for imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of non-dyed PSF ranging from 0.6 to 6 Deniers, excluding recycled PSF and specialty fibres namely, cationic dyeable, fire/flame retardant, low melt and bi-component fibres from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, a DGAD notification said. Non-dyed PSF ranging from 0.6 to 6 Deniers are predominantly used to spin yarn of 100% PSF or in blends with natural, artificial and/or synthetic staple fibres for manufacture of textiles, sewing thread, other industrial textiles, non-woven applications, etc. Though the period of investigation shall be from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016, the injury investigation period will cover the data of previous three years, i.e. April 2012 to March 2013, April 2013 to March 2014, April 2014 to March 2015, and the current period of investigation, the notification said. The probe will determine the existence, degree and effect of alleged dumping and after that, DGAD may recommend the quantum of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, will be ‘adequate’ to remove the injury to the domestic industry. (RKS)
Source: Fibre2fashion
India may impose anti-dumping duty on imports of a certain kind of fibre from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as it has found sufficient evidence of dumping of the product from these countries. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), under the commerce ministry, has initiated investigation on the same. Indo Rama Synthetics (India) Ltd, The Bombay Dyeing & Mfg Co Ltd and Alok Industry Ltd have filed the application for imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of ‘non-dyed Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF) ranging from 0.6 to 6 Deniers’, DGAD has said in a notification. These firms have alleged that the fibres are entering the Indian market at dumped prices and such imports are causing injury to the domestic industry. DGAD has found “sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping” of the commodity exported from these countries, injury to the domestic industry and “causal link between the alleged dumping and injury to justify initiation of an investigation”. The probe will determine the existence, degree and effect of alleged dumping and after that, DGAD may recommend the quantum of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, will be “adequate” to remove the injury to the domestic industry. The period of investigation shall be from April 2015 to September 2016 (18 months). However, it will cover data of the previous three years as well — 2012-15. DGAD recommends the duty and the Finance Ministry imposes it. Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to determine if the domestic industry has been hurt by a surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multi-lateral WTO regime. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry. They are not a measure to restrict imports or cause a unjustified increase in cost of products.
Source: Financial Express
Exporters, who were largely ignored in the Budget, can hope for some incentives and thrust in the mid-term foreign trade policy (FTP) review in September with the Commerce Ministry ready to begin consultations. “The Commerce Ministry will kick-off consultations with various export bodies and councils from February 9 to examine their list of demand and re-assess growth potential,” a government official told BusinessLine.
Another chance
While the Economic Survey for 2016-17 circulated on the eve of the Union Budget made a case for more support for exporters, especially from labour-intensive sectors such as apparels, leather and footwear, the Budget had no specific sops. “Exporters had made a number of demands such as creation of an export development fund, extension of interest equalisation scheme for merchant exporters and exemption for service tax to be resolved in the Budget. The FTP review is another window for exporters to have their demands examined and met,” the official said. The FTP review would also address issues that might creep up for exporters after the Goods & Services Tax is implemented.
Exporters’ concerns
“In the review, we plan to address all concerns that exporters may have on the implementation of the GST and its implications,” the official said. India’s goods exports, which posted a decline in the past two fiscal years, is finally starting showing some growth in the on-going fiscal with four consecutive months of increase since September 2016. Global economic uncertainties, however, persist and the expectations that higher exports could push up the GDP by one percentage point 2017-18, articulated in the Economic Survey, is still a pipe dream. “Exports have started looking up but the ground is still shaky. For high growth next fiscal, exporters would definitely need more hand-holding. The FTP review will examine the growth potential in every sector and the additional incentives that could be provided,” the official added. Exporters are disappointed with the Budget for ignoring their key demands. “The global challenges highlighted in the Budget require us to be on our toes and revisit our strategy to push exports in such volatile global conditions. It is disappointing that our proposal for an aggressive marketing strategy through an Export Development Fund did not see the light of the day,” said FIEO President SC Ralhan.
Extending sops
The Commerce Ministry has already made a case for expansion of the popular MEIS scheme to the Finance Minister. The scheme allows eligible exporters duty-free scrips, based on a percentage value of their exports (ranging between two per cent and five per cent), which can be used to import inputs by the exporter or sold to other entities. “We want more items to be covered and higher levels of incentives for certain sectors requiring more support. Once our sectoral consultations are over, we can make more specific demands,” the official said. The Commerce Ministry may have to prune the ambitious target of goods and services export of $900 billion set for 2020 fixed in the five year foreign trade policy. “We could fix a new target after our sectoral consultations are over,” the official said.
Source: Business Line
The Centre’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and to borrow less in the next fiscal, coupled with the lower retail inflation data in December may give the Reserve Bank wiggle room enough to cut the policy rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, in the last bi-monthly monetary policy review of the current fiscal. The RBI had last cut the repo rate — the interest rate at which it lends to banks — by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent in the October review. The central bank held rates in the December policy review while retaining an accommodative policy stance. Overall, in the current financial year, the RBI twice cut the repo rate by 25 basis points.
Right moves
With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley emphasising that the government had adhered to fiscal consolidation, market players feel this could support the disinflation process going forward, which, in turn, could create space for rate cuts. Jaitley’s Budget pegged the fiscal deficit at 3.2 per cent of GDP for FY18 and the Centre is committed to bring it down to 3 per cent the following fiscal. The government’s net market borrowing in FY18 will be lower at ₹3.48 lakh crore after buyback, as against ₹4.25 lakh crore in FY17. According to the Economic Survey, an economy recovering from demonetisation will need policy support. On the assumption that the equilibrium cash-GDP ratio will be lower than that prior to November 8, the banking system will benefit from a higher level of deposits, it said. “Thus, market interest rates — deposits, lending, and yields on government securities — should be lower in 2017-18 than 2016-17. This will provide a boost to the economy (provided, of course, liquidity is no longer a binding constraint). A corollary is that policy rates can be lower, not necessarily to lead and nudge market rates, but to validate them. Of course, any sharp uptick in oil prices and those of agricultural products, would limit the scope for monetary easing.”
Sneaking one through
Pranjul Bhandari, Chief Economist, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India), feels that with oil prices on the climb, pressures from higher government wages, and Fed rates expected to rise, the space for rate cuts is quickly dwindling. But one final 25 basis points rate cut in the cycle is expected. Retail inflation, one of the key gauges the central bank tracks in setting interest rates, eased to 3.41 per cent in December as against 3.63 per cent in November. This could cushion a rate cut in the post-demonetisation phase, say market experts. In a report, Nomura said with the government sticking to fiscal consolidation and headline inflation likely to undershoot the RBI’s March 2017 target of 5 per cent, it is pencilling in a final 25 basis points repo rate cut to 6 per cent on February 8, although with global factors turning negative (higher oil prices, narrowing interest rate differentials), it would be a close call. Thereafter, Nomura expects both growth and inflation to accelerate, keeping the RBI on hold throughout 2017. Kotak Securities analysis of revenue and expenditure indicates negligible fiscal impulse from the FY2018 budget. Hence, this strengthens its call for a 25 basis points rate cut in the next RBI policy. A conservative fiscal policy, easing inflation trajectory and short-term risks to growth keep the door open for further easing, said Radhika Rao, Economist, Group Research, DBS Bank, adding it will, however, be a close call. As a base case, she expects a 25 basis points rate cut in the repo rate to 6 per cent on February 8.
Source: Business Line
Nearly 5 years in the business of manufacturing and marketing the spandex under the brand name of Inviya the new freedom fiber with collaborative efforts from customers has been one of the enriching experience for Indorama Industries Limted which is rapidly executing the exapansion plan at Baddi Himachal Pradesh. After having established a pilot plant in beginning of 2016 with aim of polymer improvisation to meet the ever changing requirements of rapidly changing clothing and fashion industry Indorama has successfully commercialized a new variant of Inviya which is their 4th generation polymer called I-400. The I-400 product which is proprietery polymer of Indorama Industries has been developed with significant inputs from value chain partners like Oswal group Raymonds with requirements of high end retailers including performance fabrics of Decathlon factored in for properties related to modulus stretch recovery and growth. I-400polymer is characterised with robustness in terms of chemical composition along with high elongation and excellent recovery at finished garments stage. The high elongation provides greater wider window to yarn manufactueres during ring spinning and texturising. Robust chemical composition is achieved by proprietary recipe which leads to stronger resistance to alkali acids chlorine a characterstic vital for garment wash and finish. The modulus properties of the polymer in terms of running load and predraft lead to excellent recovery and minimal growth at garment stages which is key requirement for active and sports clothing whether it is woven or knitted outfit. I-400 products strongly contributes in retaining the shape of garments after repeated washes and hence enhances the active life of garments leading to greater satisfaction of customers for a longer duration.
Source: Tecoya Trend
"As a textile designer, I would like to say the indian fashionindustry has welcomed handlooms. industry has embraced handlooms with lot of admiration and helped revive our ancient traditions of weaving art, like the jamdani weaves, that we use in creating our fashion pieces," Shah told IANS. "It also reinforced its unparalleled beauty around the world," he added. The designer says that one must acknowledge the passion and intense amount of production hours every weaver at the looms puts to bring out timeless pieces of handlooms. "The fashion industry did contribute to bring them back into vogue in recent years," he said. Shah showcased his latest collection of 40 garments titled Muslin at Lakme's Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017. His anthology for the gala was inspired by romance of nature. Giving details about his range, he said: "Our collection incorporates weaves and techniques from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The amazing all-in-whites collections integrate gorgeous Mughal motifs and geometric patterns on Khadi, chikankari embroidery and Parsi gara." The designer's collection involved 50 weavers working relentlessly for over six months. Shah, whose handloom creation made its way to the 69th Cannes Film Festival when Deepshikha Deshmukh, producer of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer "Sarbjit", stepped out in an ensemble featuring Paithani and Kanjeevaram details, says that handlooms are a glorious heritage of India and it is important to preserve and help the artists' community grow. "I would like to add that a few years ago this beautiful art was fading away. Thanks to persistent effort and motivation from label like ours, followed by the efforts of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that pushed indian handlooms to higher level of acceptance," he said. Shah began his journey in the textile world with just two weavers and today the label works with 700 weavers, and the number is still growing. "The biggest contribution we as a designer can make is to keep our artisans motivated and also help them gain confidence that it is a highly profitable profession," said the designer, who has styled the stars like Vidya Balan, Sonam Kapoor and Kirron Kher.
Source: Daiji World
ITMACH India The second edition of ITMACH India, the International Textile Jointly organised by K and D ITMACH Expositions LLP and Spinners Association (Gujarat), the fair will cover 40,000 square meters of exhibition space. It will host entire ranges of textile machinery and technology including spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, processing, digital printing, nonwoven and technical textiles, garmenting, quality control, utility machinery and so on. Several well-known machinery companies have already confirmed their participation in ITMACH India, according to the organisers. Machinery and Accessories exhibition, is likely to have over 750 exhibitors from around the world and over 45,000 business visitors. It will be held from December 7-10, 2017, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The Indian Textile Sourcing xhibition (ITSE) will also take place concurrently with ITMACH India. As for the ITSE fair, it would cover the entire textile value chain with the aim to promote sourcing of made in India textiles and apparels. Indian textile industry’s growing need of textile machinery and technology backed by continued investment and modernisation of production capacities is expected to grow in the next three years. The prime drivers of the upbeat investment mood are government’s enhanced allocation of funds towards technology up-gradation subsidy schemes, infrastructure building approach, export incentives and moreIMPORTANTLY the fastest growing economy of the country. lucrative state government textile policies are also wooing investors to create employment and additional revenue sources. The state of Gujarat is leading the investment in textile sector for past few years. With investment worth $1.2 billion announced by a couple of large textile players at the recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Business Summit, the total investment plans in textile sector could easily exceed $10 billion.
Source: Fibre2fashion
Known as textile designer and weaves revivalist, Gaurang Shah is one of the most respected designers in India who has been constantly working with weavers to popularise their traditional craft. He now supports almost 700 weavers across India — in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh etc., and is especially engaged in a weaving technique called Jamdani. Jamdani is a brocaded fabric woven with discontinuous extra weft yarns. His design forte lies in revival and cross-over influences. He believes his strength lies in weaving intricate designs and patterns on textiles. “What others do through printing, embroidery or by attaching borders and motifs, I do through weaves. That’s my biggest strength. I thrive on ‘Innovation’,” Shah tells Guardian 20. The designer is recently making headlines for his “Muslin” collection which he is going to showcase on Sunday at Lakme Fashion Week SS ’17 show. This collection features a number of traditional fabrics with a totally fresh twist. Speaking about his Muslin collection, Shah says, “It’s going to be white, with a dash of silver and gold. The collection titled ‘Muslin’ will feature 40 ensembles that include my brand characteristic saris, anarkalis and lehengas. It is inspired by the romance of nature. Muslin echoes the blissful ‘Summer Season Fashion Comfort’, beautifully handcrafted to perfection. It breathes ‘Freshness’. In Muslin, we are using weaves and techniques from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.” Having been associated with approx 700 weavers across India today, his association with weavers started due to his instant love for woven textiles and the aspiration to preserve this beautiful Indian textile heritage that he attributes as a catalyst to connect with the weaving community. Way back in 2001,when the traditional handlooms were fading into an oblivion, due to declining patronage and an onslaught of growing popularity for embroidered saree like georgettes and chiffons weaver communities were mired in debt traps, uncertainty and deep economic stress. As Shah grew amidst textiles, he found out the key factor that didn’t raise enthusiasm for Indian Textiles at that time was lack of appeal and modernity. So, he took up the challenge of reviving the traditional handlooms and bringing them back in vogue while working closely with weavers who knew this art. Way back in 2001,when traditional handlooms were fading into an oblivion, due to declining patronage and an onslaught of growing popularity for embroidered saree like georgettes and chiffons, weaver communities were mired in debt traps, uncertainty and deep economic stress. He has also initiated a Jamdani weaves’ wave in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata. Speaking about this technique, the designer says, “I had an instant love for Jamdani weaving technique and I knew this technique will allow me to break conventions and set new Indian textiles’ trends. I also felt that Indian heritage canvas was so huge that every ancient artist work provides you an opportunity to think differently. My canvas to tell the Indian Heritage Story was the 6-yard-saree. It gave me a fantastic opportunity to tell stories woven with absolute precision using the Jamdani weaving. Over the years we have introduced some of the finest variations in Khadi, Cotton, Silks.”For Shah, it was a painstaking process. Initially, as there was tremendous a mount of reluctance to change. He says, “My design challenges the weaver. It takes a minimum of five to six months to weave a saree. I had a hard task every time, to motivate my weavers. I challenge them with new designs and give them the confidence about its economic potential globally. They find it motivating to work with me and my team. We make them believe that hand craft will never fade as long as we can keep pace with modern times without losing the essence of our culture and tradition which is unparalleled the world over. They love it as much as I love them. What is immensely satisfying is that even the generation next is finding it highly rewarding and are willing to master the craft sitting in the looms of their parents.” Talking about his experience working with his weavers, he says, “We work like a family, passionate about our goals. The foundation of our growing collaborative relationship is that we constantly motivate each other to raise our creative bar. Each time we meet with a challenge to weave an intriguing design, texture and pattern. We also stay connected using technology exchanging ideas and discussing new ways of approaching the weave that will make every piece that we make unique.” Not Only Jamdani and Khadi designs, the textile designer is also into indigenous designs like Calico or the Baroda style Navari drape which defines modern Indian aesthetic. Speaking about such designs which focus on period fashion, he says, “A lot of my inspiration comes from history and temple art. I love translating our cultural stories in my collection. ‘Calico” Draws inspiration from the 1920-1930 and the various trends of this intriguing era, each piece in this collection by Gaurang evokes a unique nostalgia. The gowns feature popular silhouettes from the “Belle Epoch” period. Women, whose personalities have been woven into the fabric of Indian history, come alive in this inspiring collection. “The Baroda style Navari drape that was Chimnabai’s signature enters the new millennium with a long jacketed blouse. The saree draped as a gown Sunity Devi’s signature style in England creates a stunning style statement. The traditional saree is subtly reinvented into a garment that is the epitome of the modern Indian aesthetic.” Talking about his larger goal for weavers, the designer concludes, “I find it immensely satisfying that our weaver community has grown from a mere 10 to 700+ and growing family. Our goal is to expand this cluster in every location that we establish from now on besides consolidating the ones that we have now. The weavers consistently need a right direction and have to adapt to change. I believe that bringing back happiness in the weaver communities is the true fabric of culture and revival of tradition.”
Source: Sunday Guardian
When Chandrashekar Pasarge, owner of Srishti Drishti Saree Centre, began giving away saris for a rupee each, fellow vendors thought he would go bankrupt. He has surprised them, by buying a second shop, bigger than the first and doubling the number of workers. What more, he also expanded the unprecedented discounts to all materials in his shop. Mr. Pasarge’s children, after whom the shop is named, had suggested that he sell saris for a rupee to help poor women affected by demonetisation. “What can I say? The one rupee sari scheme has brought me luck, I think,” he said, with a broad grin, dealing with the countless customers who now flood his shop. “I will not close shop, I will keep growing,” he said. The crowds has been swelling at the second shop, next to the district hospital compound, as well. Though he has stopped the “A sari a rupee” scheme, he has introduced several similar schemes. They include saris for ₹ 20, ₹ 165, and ₹ 265. He is also selling silk saris at a face value of ₹ 2,000 at ₹ 450, and a pair of shirt and pant pieces at one fourth the actual price. The surprise package is the wedding offer where one can walk away with a steel cupboard, refrigerator, bed or other household materials, if the total purchase amount crosses certain limits. Mr. Pasarge insists he is not making losses. “We had 12 workers. Now we have 26,” informs Pushpak Kumar, store manager. “Our workers are like honey bees. They work without rest or break for over 12 hours a day. They go home at 11 p.m., but are back by 10 a.m.,’’ says Mr. Kumar. ‘A sari a rupee’ scheme brought us wide publicity. Now we are having customers from across the border from Telangana and Maharashtra. The lord has blessed us. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave us this opportunity and we will continue to support him, the owner said.
Source: The Hindu
Future Market Insights (FMI), in its recent report titled, “Asia Textile Chemicals Market Analysis & Opportunity Assessment, 2014 – 2020”, projects that the market for textile chemicals in Asia will exhibit a steady CAGR of 7.6% during 2014 to 2020. According to FMI’s in-depth analysis of textile chemicals market in Asia, the Asia textile chemicals market will reach US$ 11,626 Mn by 2020. Textile chemicals are class of specialty chemicals and comprise chemicals and intermediates that are used in various stages of textile processing such as preparation, dyeing, printing and finishing. These are often used to enhance or impart desired properties and colour to the fabrics during the manufacturing process. As of 2014, textile chemicals accounted for nearly 2% of the overall specialty chemicals market. FMI’s report analyses the Asia textile chemicals market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) on the basis of product types, end use applications and countries of Asia region. The major players in textile industry across the globe are emphasising on channelising efforts towards ensuring sustainability throughout the value chain. As such, there is an ever increasing demand for eco-friendly chemicals that minimise the amount of water and energy required in various stages of textile processing and are in compliance with regional and international regulations. Textile chemicals industry is highly fragmented and comprises large number of small and big players catering to the demands of textile manufacturers. Due to this fragmented nature, developing innovative and differentiated product offerings has emerged as a key to gain competitive advantage. Moreover, growth in demand for functional finishes has resulted in a steady growth of textile finishing chemicals that impart desired specific finishes to textile and apparels. From regional perspective, China accounted for a major share in overall Asia textile chemicals market in 2014. China textile chemicals market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period 2014─2020. In terms of market value, India is the second largest market for textile chemicals in Asia. India textile chemicals market is expected to witness a steady growth at a CAGR of 9.0% in the same period. Countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia also are expected to witness relatively high growth in textile chemicals market. From product type perspective, market size of textile auxiliaries segment is expected to grow faster than the textile colourants segment. The segments are projected to witness high single-digit growth during the forecast period. From the process perspective, the finishing process segment is slated to experience faster growth than that of pre-treatment, dyeing and others segments. It is expected to register a CAGR of 8.6% between 2014 – 2020. This is primarily due to growth in demand for textiles and apparels with specific functional finishes. From applications perspective, market is composed of apparels segment, home furnishings segment and others (technical & smart textiles) segment. The apparels segment accounts for largest share among these segments and is slated to register a CAGR of 6.8% during forecast period. The key market participants covered in the report include companies covered in the report are Huntsman Corporation, Archroma and DyStar group.
Source: Yarns and fibres
The Indian textiles industry, currently estimated at around US$ 108 billion, which is expected to reach US$ 223 billion by 2021 wherein the exports’ contribution is expected to touch US$ 82 billion. Keeping in view the potential and vibrancy of this growth-ridden market, Gartex 2017 will present the latest best available in the textile and garment machinery & accessories market in India & overseas over an exhibit area spread across 65,000 sq ft at Pragati Maidan. The Show will witness new product launches and live demos of equipment & techniques by some of the biggest manufacturers in the industry. Besides all these, special focus on Digitex would be there to facilitate easy sourcing of the products and to keep the visitors at ease. As a definitive gateway into the country’s burgeoning garment and textile industry, the Expo will provide numerous opportunities for existing and new companies from all over India and Southeast Asia to assemble at one platform, which is incredible for product showcasing, brand building, business networking and knowledge exchange. To match the pace of the development in the garment and textile manufacturing industry worldwide, Gartex is the only show facilitating to source complete garment manufacturing solutions from companies Pan India under one roof. Reflecting international standards in excellence, Gartex 2017 is expected to welcome more than 200 national & international exhibitors to make use of this unique platform to tell the industry as what new has it developed in the last one year, what all it is working upon to achieve in the coming year. Gartex 2017 will have a rather expanded exhibit profile that to include Garment & Apparel Machinery, Textile & Textile Processing Machinery, Digital Textile Printing Technology, Home Furnishing Machinery & Materials, Leather Garment & Shoe Manufacturing Machinery, Yarns & Yarn Processing Machinery, Printing & Dyeing, Apparel Fabrics, Accessories, Trims & Embellishments , Allied Products & Services, Laundry & Finishing Equipment, Pre & Post Processing Equipment, Knitting Machinery, Sewing Machines, Embroidery Machines, Hosiery Machinery, Quilting machines, Intimate Apparel Manufacturing Machinery, Heat Transfer Machines, Laser Machines, Packaging & Labeling Solutions, Needles & Threads, Fusing Machines, Automation & Software, Testing Equipment & Services, Mannequins & Display Racks, Spares & Consumables, Cutting & Laying Machines, Spinning Machines & Accessories, Looms & Jacquards, Weaving Machinery & Equipment, Tufting Machines, and many more. For all this and many more, the venue always play an important role as the exhibitors’ convenience, visitors’ footfall and business activities depend on the convenience that the selected venue facilitates. Pragati Maidan is India’s largest international exhibition centre located in the heart of the capital city. The venue offers about 61,290 sqm of covered exhibition space in 16 state-of-the-art halls, besides 10,000 sqm of open display area making it an ideal center for trade exhibitions like this. Above all, its central location provides easy connectivity with the entire National Capital Region of Delhi with easy commutation options including the Metro (City Railways), the Pragati Maidan Metro Station of which is right inside the premises. Moreover, the venue is just 18 km from the international airport, and only 2.5 km from Connaught Place, the main hub of business activities in New Delhi
Source: Sat Press Release
A mega silk cluster will soon be set up on the outskirts of Mysuru in 10 acres of land in Belavadi village, which will involve investment to the tune of an approximate ₹50 crores. Mysuru and its surrounding regions are known for sericulture, and the famed Mysore Silk has been accorded the Geographic Indication tag in view of its uniqueness. This is one of the six silk clusters to be set up across the country under the revised National Handloom Development Programme. The Union government has appointed the Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (KSTIDCL) as cluster management and technical agency. Efforts are on to register a Special Purpose Vehicle for the implementation and funding of the silk cluster. G. Thippesh, chairman, KSTIDCL and G.P. Srinivasmurthy, Managing Director, said that twisting, yarn dying, warping, fabric dying and printing, and calendaring were among many functions that would be provided at the cluster. Mr. Thippesh said that the cluster would be set up under a public-private partnership. The Union government would bear 60% of the total cost while the State government would bear 30% and remaining 10% would be borne by the entrepreneurs. The cluster would enable the weavers to produce quality silk saris in an abundant quantity. They said that 25 silk traders had been identified and each one of them has agreed to invest around ₹40 lakhs in the cluster. A detailed project report for the cluster is being prepared with the assistance of Infrastructure Development Corporation Karnataka Limited (IDECK). Roads, drainage systems, water, power and solid waste management systems, a training hall, a bank and an ATM would be set up. The project may come up in another eight months. It is proposed to name the cluster Mysore Sri Chamundeshwari mega silk cluster. The proposed silk cluster, being a labour-intensive industry, would open up huge employment opportunities besides fuelling local economy by spanning ancillary industries.
Source: Yarns and Fibres
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) to help the Dye and Dyestuff clusters in Gujarat plans to set up a Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) on Chemical Processes at its campus that will help dye-industries meet the pollution norms and take an environmentally safer growth path. The CRTDH will develop a Chemical Process Technology Lab along with a pilot plant facility which will demonstrate the process intensification, waste reduction and enhanced effluent treatment technologies developed at IITGN. The center will also help to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the dye sector for research, training and testing of the raw materials and products to give them an advantage in the competitive market. The project has received a sanction of Rs 4 crores from Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). In addition, IITGN will put in about 2 crores. Principal Investigator of the project Prof Chinmay Ghoroi of IITGN said that the CRTDH will help chemical industries to improve their existing chemical processes and waste treatment. The initiative will be helpful to dye MSMEs in and around Gujarat who do not have proper lab and technical expertise. Several IITGN faculties from Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biological and Materials Science and Engineering will be jointly working in the project. Prof Ghoroi said that the CRTDH will be an opportunity for IITGN faculty to work together to solve industrial problem which are truly interdisciplinary. This will also be a good opportunity for their students who will work on real life problems. Gujarat have about 1050 dyestuff units in Ahmedabad, Vatva, Naroda, Odahv, Vododara, Ankeleshwar, Surat, Valsad and Vapi. The sector is performing very badly in terms of waste generation and its treatment. The environmental issue has prevented manufacturer to produce new products as per market demand. CRTDH in IITGN will be a great help to industry. Dyes and dye intermediates is one of the core chemical industries in India and mostly located in Gujarat. It is also the second highest export segment in chemical industry and share about 7% in the global market. Nearly 80% of the total dye production capacity of India is in Gujarat due to availability of raw materials and dominance of textile industry in the regions.
Source: Yarns and fibres
Honduras 20|20 has accomplished a new international investment for the textile sector of Honduras of 73 million dollars, which has led to the incorporation of the United Textiles of America (Unitexa) company, a synthetic yarn production plant. First such plant of its size and nature in Central America, it will produce over 25,000 tons of yarn per year. Several large textile groups in the region joined forces, along with the President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández as honorary witness, to create the new synthetic yarn production plant. It is expected to attract more specialised manufacturing industries to the country for the transformation of synthetic yarn of different dimensions and categories of texture. The draw texturised yarn (DTY) produced in the new unit can be used for the production of synthetic garments, sportswear, clothing resistant to stain, among others. Due to the need for a greater specialisation in the production of synthetic yarn, Unitexa will continuously seek to develop the personnel it employs, generating a total of 250 direct jobs and approximately 300 indirect jobs. The plant will generate significant amounts of foreign exchange for the country due to product exports. A sustainability plan is also in place to ensure a socially and environmentally responsible investment. Unitexa is a result of the trust generated in international and national investors by the program Honduras 20|20, which prioritises the textile sector. In addition, it has generated significant improvements on the country´s customs system as well as the implementation of a modern tax code.
Source: Yarns and fibres
A Hong Kong-based textile firm in Vietnam’s northern province of Hai Duong has been fined for discharging wastewater that exceeded permitted levels of toxic waste. Mayor Nguyen Duong Thai issued a fine of VND672 million ($29,372) to Pacific Crystal Textiles Limited in the Lai Vu Industrial Park in Kim Thanh District, VietnamPlus reported on Sunday. The company was also asked to ensure any wastewater discharged in the future meets local government standards. Pacific Crystal began commercial operations at its $425-million plant in Hai Duong in December 2015.Following a similar incident in June last year, Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment inspected the Lee&Man Paper Manufacturing Company, a Chinese paper manufacturing plant in the southern province of Hau Giang, following media reports about possible environmental damage to the Mekong River. In another large-scale environmental disaster, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel, which runs an $11 billion steel plant in the central province of Ha Tinh, polluted a 200km stretch of coastline in April last year, killing more than 100 tons of fish and devastating the environment, jobs and economies of four provinces in the central region. According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), violations of the country's environmental regulations in 2016 were recorded at some 80 percent of industrial parks. Foreign-invested firms accounted for 60 percent of 50 companies caught discharging waste that exceeds the allowable standards, according to the GSO. The National Center for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast recently delcared that environmental pollution has severely impeded Vietnam’s economic growth. The center warned that pollution and natural disasters could cost the country about 0.6 percent of its annual gross domestic product between now and 2020.
Source: VN Express
Executives of two Chinese companies included on a new US sanctions list targeting Iran said on Sunday they had only exported "normal" goods to the Middle Eastern country and didn't consider they had done anything wrong. The sanctions on 25 individuals and entities imposed on Friday were the opening salvo by President Donald Trump who has vowed a more aggressive policy against Tehran and came two days after the administration had put Iran 'on notice' following a ballistic missile test. Those affected under the sanctions cannot access the US financial system or deal with US companies and are subject to secondary sanctions, meaning foreign companies and individuals are prohibited from dealing with them or risk being blacklisted by the United States. The list includes two Chinese companies and three Chinese people, only one of whom the US Treasury Department explicitly said was a Chinese citizen, a person called Qin Xianhua. Richard Yue, who is on the list, told Reuters he was also Chinese and that he thought the decision was unfair. His bank account had been frozen, meaning he couldn't work, he said. "I export to lots of countries, and Iran is a customer too. That's totally normal," Yue said. "How is this fair? Why should others pay attention to what Americans say? What's wrong with my daily use goods?" Yue added he did not know what he would do, or whether he would try and seek help from the Chinese government. He did not elaborate on what products his company, Cosailing Business Trading Co. Ltd, based in the northern port city of Qingdao and also on the sanctions list, exported to Iran. The company's website shows it is involved in trading everything from furnaces to treadmills and false eyelashes. Yue is listed on the site as Cosailing's sales manager. The other Chinese company on the listis Ningbo New Century Import and Export Co, based in the eastern port city of Ningbo, which business-to-business websites show advertises exports and imports of fire hydrants and inner tubes for motorcycle tyres. An export manager at Ningbo New Century who gave his family name as Tang told Reuters they made "normal" exports to Iran, though he would not say of what. "There's nothing we can do. Let them put us on the sanctions list," Tang added, declining further comment. Reuters was not able to locate contacts for the two other Chinese people on the list. China's Foreign Ministry has not commented on the new sanctions. The official Xinhua news agency, in a commentary on Sunday, said while the new sanctions would have a limited effect on Iran, they opened a new chapter in the stand-off between Washington and Tehran."Now Trump has taken office, uncertainly in the US-Iran relationship has risen, and this may become a ticking time bomb for peace and stability in the Middle East," Xinhua said China has in the past been angered by what it calls unilateral sanctions placed on Chinese firms by the United States and others in relation to Iran or North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
China has close economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran, but was also instrumental in pushing through a landmark 2015 deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme.
Source: Financial Express
The Mexican textile and apparel industry is under threat from Trump's possible 20 percent tariff, and is eyeing other overseas markets to replace potential lost orders from the U.S. If the proposed 20 percent tariff is levied (among other options) to pay for Trump's border wall and Mexico hits back, "we could grow below zero," Mercado said, adding that exports could plunge 10 percent, despite a record-low peso.MEXICO CITY — Mexico could slap “mirror” tariffs against U.S. fabric and apparel imports if U.S. President Trump imposes a 20 percent or other duty on Mexican imports, something textile executives say would severely harm cross-border manufacturers and retailers alike. “It would be a good idea if the government did something to compensate against this [the Trump tariff],” said Sixto Mercado, vice president of top trade lobby Canaive’s branch in Jalisco State, home to Guadajara. “We have many apparel exporters here who would be affected.” His comments come as Mexico is set to begin negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement by May to meet Trump’s calls for a rewrite. That said, economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo said in mid-January that if Trump imposes a tariff or a border adjustment tax, Mexico would pursue “mirror actions.” The statement is an indication of the growing tensions between the two neighboring countries, longtime allies, as Trump pursues his plan to build a wall along the border and claims that Mexico will pay for it. The 20 percent tariff or other duty proposal forms part of the plan to fund the wall. The U.S. ships roughly $6.5 billion worth of apparel and textiles to Mexico — $4 billion is fabric and $1.2 billion apparel parts, according to Canaive. Conversely, Mexico sends back $4.5 billion worth of clothing and textiles — $3.5 billion of apparel and $1 billion of textiles. A possible trade war has strained diplomatic relations and unleashed a nationalist uproar in Mexico with populist groups calling for consumers to boycott American companies including Wal-Mart, Starbucks and McDonalds. Social media is abuzz with tweets-for-tats urging citizens buy Mexican goods with hashtags such as #AdiosWalmart, allegedly hitting sales at the U.S. discounter’s largest international division. One tweet showed a Wal-Mart hypermarket in Tepeyac, Guadalajara as empty during peak sale hours on payday. The tweet claimed the store is the retailer’s largest selling in Latin America. A Wal-Mart spokesman said the firm is “monitoring the situation” but had no further comment. If the proposed 20 percent tariff is levied (among other options) to pay for Trump’s border wall and Mexico hits back, “we could grow below zero,” Mercado said, adding that exports could plunge 10 percent, despite a record-low peso. In 2016, the textiles and apparel sector grew 5 percent as strong local apparel sales offset a 4.3 percent drop in U.S. sales. As Mexico flirts with a possible recession, Mixto said local sales could this year grow 7 percent compared to 10 percent in 2016. Amid strong anti-American sentiment, he said local-brand turnover could eclipse U.S. brands for the first time in recent memory. “We have never seen such strong nationalism in Mexico,” Mercado said. “Everyone is being urged to buy Mexican products. This will hit American brand sales.” Many consumers could shun Wal-Mart in lieu of Mexican archrival Coppel or choose to buy at department-store chain Liverpool’s lower-end unit Fabricas de Francia. Mexican fashion designers, long in the shadows, could win consumer hearts. This is bad news for the likes of the Axo or El Palacio de Hierro network, which have grown by bringing aspirational U.S. brands such as ck Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie & Fitch south of the border. An executive at Axo said the 20-brand franchisor has not seen “any sales declines” from the patriotic upsurge and is operating “business-as-usual.” It’s clear Axo and rival Sordo Madaleno, a top architecture firm making a leap into foreign fashion licensing (it just opened Mexico’s first AllSaints outlet) will suffer as consumers tighten their belts and seek “Made in Mexico.” To meet the challenges, Mexican apparel producers are seeking new markets in Central America and Europe with which Mexico has a largely vague free-trade agreement. “Costa Rica, Panama and Central America could be good markets to compete on price and quality but not Argentina and Brazil, because they have very strong industries and brands,” Mercado said. In Europe, Mexican fashion jean labels Oggi and Siete Leguas could make successful forays because they have high-quality products using innovative fabrics and new washing technologies, according to Mercado. “These companies sell premium jeans to Levi’s, Wrangler and True Religion so they could also start selling in Europe.” That will require even more innovation, training and other investment the industry has been slow to pursue. “We need to make more fashion and design and to diversify our exports because we are too dependent on the U.S.,” said Alfonso Zepeda, the man behind Expo Denim, a denim trade fair set to open in Guadjalajara in late May, adding that European expansion should be a priority. “Europe represents a huge opportunity with our low peso,” he said. “There are niches we could exploit. Here in Jalisco we make great coats, cotton knits, denim pants and suits. We could sell these to smaller, H&M-like stores.” Manuel de la O, sales director at sewing machine maker Casa Diaz, echoed views that U.S. consumers would pay for any Trump tariff and that American brands will have a hard time replacing Mexican suppliers, at least right away. “They could send their orders to Vietnam or China and save the 20 percent but then the fleet costs would be 5 percent and the investment and costs associated with the geographical shift could bring that to 13 percent,” said de la O. “If you add to that a 3 to 4 percent [possible] mirror tariff from Mexico, would you sacrifice quality for such a small margin gain?”
Source: Ivan Castano
The Minister of Industry,Trade and Investment,Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah has blamed the moribund state of the textile industry on lack of cotton and critical infrastructure, such as electricity supply. He lamented that these factors had been frustrating the government’s attempt to revive the sector. Enelamah, who spoke with reporters in Abuja at the weekend, said the situation in the textile sector was very complex. He said: “On the textile industry, it is a very complex situation, it has a problem of value chain, we don’t have enough cotton for them to produce so we are engaging the Ministry of Agriculture. We are also hoping to get some seeds for farmers to plant. “The government is working on ensuring people patronise made-in-Nigeria and wear them at least once a week officially, that way, we can raise patronage for the textile industry. Resolving these issues takes a while but we are working on it. “The Vice President’s visit to Aba is to interact with the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) is called the MSMEs clinic it is a new initiative that with time will spread to all states of the federation. We had to take the service to the people rather than waiting for them to come. Another reason is that in most cases, access is not always easy for them, what it means is that they now have the contact to follow up, and know the government’s policy direction on ease of doing business. “We are very delighted that the clinic kicked off in Aba, the clinic will move from there to all the zones. The idea of the clinic is to have all the relevant key agencies to render services to those people located where the MSMEs are. In Aba, we had a stand where the people came asked questions bordering on issues concerning their trading activities, and these issues were addressed. “On trade policy, we review our trade policy every five years there is one going on right now, the trade policy review involves engaging multiple stakeholders in the economy and their input on how the trade policy works. It involves trade experts to advise you, you engage the world agency of trade, trade department with the trade adviser and negotiator, then they help to prepare a good material, that is where we are, the process will be finished this year, we started last year, where we are now is that the consultation is ongoing and should be wrapped up before the end of 2017.” On the sugar policy, he said: “The sugar policy has been ongoing for years now the backward integration policy is one of the most successful, it is like the cement success story, the same policy was adopted for sugar, when we talked sugar, we look at sugarcane which is grown widely in Nigeria we also have other sources of sugar like ethanol. In producing our own sugar there should be enough production capacity in the country either in terms of the basic raw materials or the processing . “The government, with time, will involve stakeholders to go into massive production of sugarcane. Nigeria consumes 1.4million tons of sugar in a year, almost all of that sugar was imported until 2013-2014 when the National Sugar Master Plan was put in place, and that master plan gave some importers concessions over a time period while we monitor the ability to produce the sugar locally.” Enalemah said the target right is to produce 4000,00 metric tons of sugar locally over a 10-year period so that players, such as Dangote, Flourmill and Bua, could produce without any difficulty. He said the production of sugar is capital intensive.
Source: The Nation
More than half the cotton crops planted across southern NSW have been damaged by off-target weed herbicide spray drift, according to Cotton Australia. About 30,000 hectares of the 57,000 hectares of cotton growing across the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan areas had been affected. Cotton Australia's regional manager in Griffith, Honi Anderson, said drift from Group I herbicides such as 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) being used to control summer weeds in fallow paddocks was harming cotton crops. "In the crops that I've looked at it's definitely Group I damage, but it's very difficult to pinpoint what crops or what fallow situations it's coming from," Ms Anderson said. "The weather conditions have not been helping keep those sprays effectively stay on the property they are intended for." Ms Anderson said the damage was extremely widespread this season and very few crops had not been impacted. "In some crops the damage is low to moderate, some would be quite severe and in others it's quite patchy," she said. Ms Anderson said she had been flooded with calls over the past six weeks from growers and agronomists identifying damage. "Depending on the severity, it looks quite ugly and it's quite distinctive," she said. "It's like a witches hand effect on the leaf, the leaf shrivels up and cups over. "Low level damage can just be a slight cupping and bubbling of the leaf." Ms Anderson called for growers, agronomists and contractors to utilize "It's importantthe online Cotton Map tool which identified the location of cotton crops. "Other crops, where damage is quite light, it shouldn't have an impact. "But the compounding issue is crops were generally planted late due to it being wet, so that coupled with spray drift issues isn't helping yield potential." growers are communicating with their neighbours that they are growing cotton as it's a very sensitive crop," she said. The full impact of the off-target spray drift would not be known until picking. "Some of the plants I have seen with severe damage are throwing squares off and that is definitely going to have an impact on yield," Ms Anderson said.
Source: ABC Rural
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) wants a single agency rather than the three at present to inspect and monitor progress in remediation of garment Factories. The BGMEA has prepared a new guideline for the next phase of inspection of the apparel production units in a bid to reduce hassles and set a unified code of inspection. All three inspection agencies apply different codes in inspection, and as a result, many owners face challenges in remedying their factories. Currently, the Accord and the Alliance -- the inspection agencies of European and North American retailers and brands -- and the National Initiative backed by the government are inspecting and suggesting remediation to boost workplace safety. The agencies are now trying to extend their tenure. The tenure of the legally binding Accord and Alliance will come to an end in June 2018. This is why the BGMEA has prepared a draft guideline, which will be placed in a meeting on February 9 for finalisation. “We are ready to place the draft with the inspection agencies,” said Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, vice-president of BGMEA. In the new guideline, the association also wants the inclusion of the government, BGMEA, International Labour Organisation, trade unions and global retailers in the agency's core committee. Babu said the BGMEA has already discussed the matter with Alliance, and negotiations are ongoing with the Accord for the finalisation of the draft. The new guideline will remain effective till 2021, and after that, the Remediation Coordination Cell, a body of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, will monitor the processes, he added. BGMEA wants the terminology 'legally binding' from the present article of the Accord and Alliance to be removed, when the new guideline comes into force, he said. The BGMEA formed a five-member committee in October last year to develop a strategy to cope with the situation following the expiry of the Accord and Alliance. Under the new initiative, factory assessment would be done on an individual basis and failure in the remediation in any particular unit would not impact other production units belonging to the same group. Laws of the land will be applicable regarding closure of factories, compensation for workers and penalty for the factory owners, according to the draft strategy. In the draft guideline, BGMEA proposed that signatory buyers continue their contributions for the initial period (June 2018–June 2020), but at half of the rates that they have been paying to the Accord and Alliance since 2013. The BGMEA proposed that third-party auditors, having prior experience in audit and certification with the Accord and Alliance, will be hired for conducting all structural, fire and electrical audit. The new factories will have to pay for their inspections. Accord has so far conducted initial inspections at 1,600 factories while Alliance inspected 759 factories. At the same time, under the National Action Plan, the Bangladesh government, in collaboration with the ILO, inspected around 1,500 factories.
Source: The Daily Star
