MUMBAI: Cotton textiles may see stability in the next financial year according to a research report by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra). The research agency revised its cotton outlook to stable for financial year 2018 from negative for financial year 2017 “The stable textile outlook is in view of stable input prices, healthy capacity utilisation and steady domestic demand scenario in FY18 and support emanating through fiscal incentives and implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) that will improve the textile industry’s export competitiveness. Moreover, the US’s exit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership is likely to realign textile trade and investments towards the Indian subcontinent that were diverted to Vietnam over FY16-FY17,” the research said. According to the research report the cotton acreage is set to to increase anywhere around 10%-15% to nearly 120 million hectares in FY18, leading to increased production. Ind-Ra projects a domestic stock-to-use ratio of nearly 13% for cotton marketing year. The expectation is in view of continued auction of Chinese reserves and global cotton processing countries (excluding China) holding about six months of inventory. Also Goods and Services Tax (GST) is set to have a positive impact on the cotton textile sector the report added. “A unified tax structure in the form of GST is likely to create a level playing field for the cotton and polyester industries, and promote enhanced sponsor interest towards the polyester chain. Ind-Ra opines that textile companies would be able to deleverage their balance sheets in FY18 in the absence of major investments due to adequate capacities and pending uncertainty over the GST tax rates. The next round of investment cycle is expected from FY19. Ind-Ra expects an improvement in the credit profiles of textile companies, including raw cotton players, driven by lower cotton inventories, limited capital investments and reduced borrowing costs,” the research report added.
Source: Economic Times
Hopes of revival of cotton yarn exports from India have increased after the Chinese cotton auction began at 25 per cent higher price than that prevailing in the Indian domestic market. Since Indian cotton attracts 3.5 per cent duty in China, it is likely that Chinese textile mills would prefer to import cotton yarn, instead of cotton, from India. On the first two days of the Chinese cotton auction, average price was 15,476 yuan per ton (first day) and 15,332 yuan per ton (second day). This roughly translates to price between Rs 51,000 and Rs 56,000 per a candy of 356 kg, which is much higher than the currently prevailing rate of around Rs 42,000 per candy in domestic markets. So cost-wise, Indian cotton is cheaper compared to the cotton being auctioned by the Chinese government from its reserves. Another factor in favour of Indian cotton is that the fibre being auctioned by the Chinese government is up to seven-year old. Hence, the quality of the auctioned cotton may not be as good since it is natural for cotton to start deteriorating and turning yellow when stocked for more than two-three years. Though India tends to gain because of these factors, it may not translate into more export orders for Indian cotton. It is because of the 3.5 per cent duty being levied by China on import of Indian cotton. So, it is very likely that Chinese textile mills would prefer to import Indian cotton yarn, instead. During April-December 2016, cotton yarn exports from India stood at 872 million kg, down 12 per cent compared to exports of 987 million kg in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
The increased exposure to handloom and crafts of the various regions of India in the last few years has enabled consumers to appreciate genuine products that are handmade or handcrafted. The value of these products has grown and the increasing number of e-commerce websites selling ethnicwear has led to a broader market for handlooms with a designer touch. "There has been a revival of ethnicwear in the recent past due to customer appreciation and due to government campaigns like Make in India. This market is definitely going to see an upward trend if uniqueness and quality of products are maintained," Subhashini Srinivasan, founder, The S Studio told Fibre2Fashion in an exclusive interview. The market for ethnicwear is growing steadily in India as well as aboard as Indian handloom fabrics and sarees get their due recognition. "With good exposure to online shopping and through apps in mobile phones, the need to go to a physical store to shop is now less. Consumers are able to shop for ethnicwear from the comfort of their homes," added Srinivasan. Speaking about the factors that influence the growth of ethnicwear, she said, "People's awareness about the exclusiveness of a handcrafted product is extremely important for the growth of Indian ethnicwear. And with the cost of making these products increasing due to lack of labour, it is important that they receive proper remuneration to continue making such quality ethnic wear."
Source: Fibre2Fashion
As the second leg of the Budget session commenced on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he expects a breakthrough on Goods and Services Tax (GST) before the session concludes next month. Modi was talking to reporters at Parliament House just before the commencement of proceedings in both the Houses. GST is billed as the biggest-ever tax reform undertaken by the country and is expected to add at least one percentage point to its GDP growth. The Centre is widely expected to introduce the Bills on Central GST and iGST during the second leg of Budget session.
CGST, IGST nod
It may be recalled that the GST Council had few days back given its formal approval to the Central GST (CGST) and Inter-State GST (IGST) laws, with the Compensation Law already having been approved during the previous meeting on February 18.
Meeting on March 16
The Council is expected to meet again on March 16 to deliberate on the final versions of the remaining two laws — the State GST law and the Union Territories GST Law. The Modi-led government is looking to introduce dual GST in the country from July 1 this year. The Constitutional amendment that paved the introduction of GST is due to lapse in mid-September this year. Modi said all the States and political parties have shown a positive approach towards GST implementation. Expressing hope that the second leg would be a fruitful one for conduct of government business, Modi said there would be detailed discussions on the Budget. “I am sure the level of discussion and debate will be of a good quality,” he said. Modi also said issues that would benefit the poor would be discussed during the second leg of the Budget session.
Source: Business Line
Union textiles minister Smriti Irani distributed the Buniyaad Reeling Machines to tussar silk reelers on the occasion of the International Women Union textiles minister Smriti Irani distributed the Buniyaad Reeling Machines to tussar silk reelers on the occasion of the International Women's Day 2017 in New Delhi. Union textiles minister Smriti Irani has announced 'Kamaladevi Chattopadhya National Awards', a new category of awards especially for women handloom weavers and women handicraft artisans on the occasion of International Women’s Day. They are being instituted from this year to help women weavers and artisans receive due recognition and economic benefits. The awards will be a small tribute to recognise the craft excellence and hard work being put in by millions of women working in their homes, carrying forward the torch of India's proud handloom and handicraft heritage. Irani also launched a special campaign to provide Mudra loans to women handloom weavers all across the country. She said that more than 1,700 women weavers are being given such loans, to start the campaign. On the occasion, 5 weavers received these loans from the minister. An online portal called 'Handloom Weaver Mudra Portal' has been launched in association with Punjab National Bank to allow weavers and officials to do real-time tracking of their loan application status. The minister also launched a national campaign to eliminate the exploitative and unhygienic practice of thigh reeling in India. Irani noted that 30 per cent of the tussar silk produced in India is through the practice of thigh reeling. In order to put an end to this unhygienic and inhuman practice, the ministry is starting the distribution of woman-friendly Buniyaad Reeling Machines to woman silk reelers. Developed by Central Silk Technological Research Institute that falls under the aegis of Central Silk Board (CSB), ministry of textiles, the Buniyaad machine not only reduces the drudgery involved in thigh reeling, but also improves productivity and income. Appreciating CSB for developing the machine, Irani expressed the hope that 100 per cent of women silk reelers who produce by thigh reeling, receive the machine and thereby end this inhuman practice. Irani hoped that the machine becomes affordable for the marginal entrepreneurs, given the 75 per cent subsidy provided by the Government of India. She distributed replicas of the Buniyaad Reeling Machine to 3 beneficiaries, as a token of the launch of the initiative. Ministry of Textiles and National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment signed two MoUs with the main objective of increasing earnings of millions of women handloom weavers and artisans belonging to backward classes. This will be done by undertaking a large number of cluster development projects. The minister also launched Handicraft Development Projects for the benefit of women artisans belonging to Schedule Tribes as well, to promote various crafts. Irani said that the vision of the ministry is to deliver targeted benefits to women weavers and artisans. She dedicated the initiatives for women, under the theme ‘Mahila Vikas Mahila Ke Saath’, along the lines of Prime Minister Modi’s governance philosophy of ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas’.
Source: Fibre2fashion
Pune: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has maintained a stable outlook for cotton textiles for FY18. However, the agency has revised its cotton outlook to stable for FY18 from negative for FY17. In addition, the agency has revised its outlook for synthetic textiles to stable for FY18 from negative for FY17. The stable textile outlook is in view of stable input prices, healthy capacity utilisation and steady domestic demand scenario in FY18 and support emanating through fiscal incentives and implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) that will improve the textile industry’s export competitiveness. Moreover, the US’s exit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership is likely to realign textile trade and investments towards the Indian subcontinent that were diverted to Vietnam over FY16-FY17. The stable cotton outlook is in view of an increase in acreage, a rise in supply in 1QFY18 (due to demonetisation) and a decline in global inventory assisting with a balanced supply. Ind-Ra expects operating profitability levels of Indian cotton ginners and exporters to moderate in FY18. Liquidity position of small players was acutely affected due to a surge in cotton prices in 1HFY17, followed by a challenging operating environment in 2HFY17 due to demonetisation. Ind-Ra expects cotton acreage to increase 10%-15% to nearly 120 million hectares in FY18, leading to increased production. Ind-Ra projects a domestic stock-to-use ratio of nearly 13% for cotton marketing year (MY) 17-18 (MY16-17: 15.3%, MY15-16: 13.8%). The expectation is in view of continued auction of Chinese reserves and global cotton processing countries (excluding China) holding about six months of inventory. "A unified tax structure in the form of GST is likely to create a level playing field for the cotton and polyester industries, and promote enhanced sponsor interest towards the polyester chain," stated a release from the agency. According to the agency, textile companies would be able to deleverage their balance sheets in FY18 in the absence of major investments due to adequate capacities and pending uncertainty over the GST tax rates. The next round of investment cycle is expected from FY19. Ind-Ra expects an improvement in the credit profiles of textile companies, including raw cotton players, driven by lower cotton inventories, limited capital investments and reduced borrowing costs. Favourable trade agreements with the US and Europe leading to a significant increase in India’s exports and a higher-than-expected domestic demand would be positive for the sector outlook. According to Ibd-Ra,any or combination of the following factors could lead to revision of the sector outlook to negative: Slowdown in demand emanating from weak domestic spending in or protectionist trade policies by the US or Europe leading to under utilisation of capacities High volatility in input prices adversely impacting contribution margins. A substantial increase in domestic mill cotton consumption, driven by a rise in demand for Indian textiles on account of higher domestic consumption and/or exports will lead to a revision in sector outlook to positive. A substantial increase in global cotton production leading to a high stock-to-use ratio than FY15 and/or increased cotton prices on account of GST leading to a higher-than-expected shift from cotton to man-made fibres will lead to a revision in sector outlook to negative.
Source: Economic Times
The international crude oil price of Indian Basket as computed/published today by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was US$ 52.10 per barrel (bbl) on 09.03.2017. This was lower than the price of US$ 54.09 per bbl on previous publishing day of 08.03.2017. In rupee terms, the price of Indian Basket decreased to Rs. 3478.92 per bbl on 09.03.2017 as compared to Rs. 3604.10 per bbl on 08.03.2017. Rupee closed weaker at Rs. 66.77 per US$ on 09.03.2017 as compared to Rs. 66.64 per US$ on 08.03.2017. The table below gives details in this regard:
|
Particulars |
Unit |
Price on March 09, 2017 (Previous trading day i.e. 08.03.2017) |
Pricing Fortnight for 01.03.2017 (Feb 14, 2017 to Feb 24, 2017) |
|
Crude Oil (Indian Basket) |
($/bbl) |
52.10 (54.09) |
54.93 |
|
(Rs/bbl |
3478.92 (3604.10) |
3677.56 |
|
|
Exchange Rate |
(Rs/$) |
66.77 (66.64) |
66.95 |
Source: PIB
Tapping the potential in renewable energy, pharma and healthcare can boost economic ties between India and Africa, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. She said the two-way trade between India and Africa increased to $56.69 billion in 2015-16 from $51.67 billion in 2010-11. There was a “good increase in trade but opportunities do exist. The newer sectors in which we can have greater interaction, engagement and productive relationship are renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and healthcare,” the Commerce and Industry Minister said. She added that both sides can collaborate for joint research in order to combat pandemics such as HIV AIDS. Sitharaman said currently the global trade scenario is dim but it also throws big opportunities for businesses of India and Africa. “We have to seize that opportunity and build on what we can achieve,” she said, adding India is relaxing its FDI norms and improving business climate to attract investments. The minister further said India can play a major role in the ensuring food security of the African region. She was speaking at the India-Africa Project Partnership conclave. Speaking at the event, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said that India’s economy is growing at a faster rate and “you have a bright spot where you can do business”. The engagement model of India with Africa is different from other countries as “we engage for the benefit” of people of both the sides. Uganda Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said that enterprises of both the regions can increase collaboration in areas like tourism, ICT, infrastructure and manufacturing. Allaying fears about security related issues in Africa, he assured the businesses and said “Africa is essential stable and very secure”. Seeking investments from India, Swaziland King Mswati – III said Africa is looking at India to explore opportunities in sectors including renewable energy and financing of infrastructure development.
Source: Business Standard
The opening day of Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) Autumn-Winter (A/W) 2017 here later this month will have 71 designers showcasing their creations across six shows on the ramp. Binding them will be a common thread of Indian handloom and textiles. The fashion extravaganza, organised by India's apex fashion body Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), will be held from March 15-18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. In the opening show, FDCI and The Handloom School will acknowledge the anonymous makers who create magic with thread. It will feature ensembles from 13 designers or labels like Akaaro, Antar-Agni, Eka, Good Earth, Neeru Kumar, Nicobar, Pero, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raw Mango, Rohit Bal and Suket Dhir, read a statement from FDCI. "Handloom weavers need and deserve a platform where their skills and rich heritage can be showcased and where weavers can learn about their markets. This show is a great opportunity for The Handloom School graduates and its future students to synergize the potential of traditional and modern textile design," said Sally Holkar, Founder of WomenWeave and The Handloom School. "The event will also link these young artisans directly with the design world with strong support from Good Earth and The Handloom School," Holkar added. A special show dedicated to Indonesian textiles and techniques will also take place on the basis of FDCI's partnership with Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) to enable a cross-cultural exchange of designer talent between the two platforms. Veteran designer Madhu Jain will be celebrating 30 years in the industry as a craft revivalist and textile conservationist, along with Krishna Mehta known for bringing Maheshwari fabrics to the limelight. Designers Abraham and Thakore will highlight the irregularity of Indian textures, using pure Indian cottons that are either hand woven or hand printed. The day will also have creations of Jharkhand as it is the partner state for the fashion week. Celebrating a decade in India, the fashion brand Vogue will showcase 55 modern day narratives of Indian traditional drapes. This will be the closing show for the day. "The FDCI and its designers want to amplify creativity and infuse fresh energy through the medium of textiles and subtle minimalism, which have been a tour de force in the Indian design ideology. Like always, this year too, the event will be multifaceted, as we explore the nuanced processes behind the final refinement," said FDCI President Sunil Sethi.
Source: Business Standard
Polyester is now one of the most commonly used fibres in the global textile and apparel industry, accounting for more than half of the overall fibre used worldwide. The global market was valued at USD 73.5 billion in 2014 and is expected to surpass USD 115 billion by 2020, representing a CAGR of over 5% over the five-year period, as reported by Zion Research. Nearly 50 million tonnes of polyester fibres were produced last year. The annual rate of growth in global polyester production has been over 8% during the last five years, well above the total fibre average of 4.9% annually. Although the growth rate for global polyester market reduced to 4.8%, with China slowing down to 6.5%, the overall growth is still stable and strong. The share of polyester fibres used in the global mills industry is estimated to reach over 57.4% by 2020, meaning that the usage of polyester will be significantly more than the usage of cotton, cellulosic, wool and acrylic combined. Today, polyester is already the most widely used fibre in all major segments of the global textile and apparel market, with garment manufacturing, home furnishings, carpets and rugs, fibrefill, and non-woven fabrics being some of the top polyester consuming sectors. Currently, China is dominating the global market for polyester production and consumption, representing over 65% of global polyester consumption. Despite the fact that production growth of polyester in China slowed further to 6.1% in 2016 due to weakness in Chinese and global economies, the demand of polyester in China is still growing as the volume of inexpensive clothing made of polyester and apparel exports is increasing. India is another big market for polyester. In India, cotton now represents 50% share in the fibre market, followed by polyester with 40%. However, the share of polyester is catching up quickly and is expected to reach 46%, squeezing cotton down to 43% of the country’s total fibre consumption by 2020. The market share of polyester is expected to increase to 53% by 2030, while cotton will go down to 32%, according to the report from Wazir Advisors. In the near future, the growth of the global polyester market is projected to slow down, mainly due to oil prices and industry overcapacity. In China, polyester production was estimated to be around 39 million tonnes, up by 4.7% from the previous year, but production growth is expected to slow down to below 4% in 2017-18 and capacity utilization is estimated to fall below 80%.
SOURCE: Zion Research
Surgical masks, gloves, footwear, and other apparel is seeing an increase in demand within healthcare facilities for the protection of patients, as well as doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. Outside of healthcare facilities, surgical apparel is increasingly being used to protect against germs and the threat of disease, which has been seen an increase as of late due to the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. The demand for and popularity of surgical apparel is growing within healthcare facilities at a very fast rate. This is in large part, due to increased health and safety measures. Recent public health crises—including cases of the Ebola virus in the United States in late 2014—have caused facilities to re-evaluate their safety precautions and make changes in order to more effectively and securely protect staff and patients. The average healthcare worker today is exposed to a number of new and increasingly dangerous diseases and pathogens, and proper procedures must be in place to prevent the spread of these diseases and the infection of staff and patients. Reusable surgical gowns are one of the most popular categories of medical apparel, as they provide full-body protection, and are easy to launder or dispose of if necessary. Another reason for the growth of surgical apparel is that more people are in need of healthcare. According to Statcan, in 2015 people aged 65 years or older outnumbered children between the ages of 0-14 in Canada. More than 16% of Canadians were age 65 or older and, by 2024, this percentage is expected to have increased to 20.1%. People in this age group are generally more likely to need healthcare—this includes surgical procedures and hospital admittances. The statistics are comparable in other North American countries, resulting in a greater need for surgical apparel for both healthcare workers and patients. Surgical apparel is also seeing some demand from outside the healthcare industry. Due to increasing worries about disease, many individuals are donning surgical masks and gloves in order to protect themselves from germs, bacteria, and harmful pathogens. Some individuals will take serious precautions to avoid germs: according to OpenWorks, approximately one third of American parents refuse or have refused to allow their children to ride the school bus due to concerns about it being unsanitary; additionally, half of parents said that they pack their children lunches from home in order to avoid the perceived uncleanliness and germs in school cafeterias. Concerns are also growing about diseases such as the measles and the mumps, which are seeing a worrying resurgence in certain parts of North America and Europe—places where they were thought to be almost entirely eradicated— reportedly due to the anti-vaccination movement, which is strongly against vaccines for children. In Toronto, Ontario, there were more than 20 confirmed cases of the mumps by the end of February of this year, an astonishing amount compared to the 5 cases the city usually sees annually. In the US, there were 23 cases of the measles in January 2017 alone, spanning across six states. According to the CDC, the majority of the people who contract these diseases are unvaccinated; many are unvaccinated children. Unvaccinated or immunocompromised people who wish to avoid contracting these diseases use surgical apparel to protect themselves in public, at school, and at work. As the number of cases of these diseases continues to rise, the demand for apparel such as surgical masks, gloves, and surgical gowns will also increase.
SOURCE: Bizvide
KARACHI: Textiles seem to have bounced back as bank advances to the sector were record high in 2016. The textile industry is the backbone of the economy and generates the highest export earnings. Yet it appears to have failed in coping with the new challenges that emerged in the global textile and fashion industry in recent years.
Under Textile Policy 2015-19, Rs64.15 billion will be spent to increase the exports of textile and clothing items from the existing $13bn to $26bn by 2019. Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton in the world and holds the largest spinning capacity in Asia after China and India. A recent report issued by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reveals that year-on-year growth in textile sector advances has been Rs90bn in 2016 in contrast to the net retirement of Rs30bn in 2015. Recently, the government announced a package of Rs180bn that gives several incentives to the textile sector to boost exports. The current export finance rate of 3.5 per cent is the lowest in a decade, especially for the textile sector. However, another report by the SBP indicates that the textile sector’s performance on the export front was worse than the preceding year when it retired debt instead of borrowing. Exports in the first half of 2016-17 fell to $6.151bn compared to $6.545bn a year ago. The output of the fresh borrowing of Rs90bn by the textile sector in 2016 has yet to be seen. Experts believe the industry could not adapt to technological changes in the global textile industry. This was in contrast with Bangladesh and Taiwan, which succeeded in making inroads into the global market in a short period of time. For 2015, garment exports from Bangladesh to the United States grew 12pc to $5.4bn. Vietnam did even better by growing its exports 14pc to $10.6bn. India’s apparel exports to the United States in 2015 grew just 8pc to $3.4bn. Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton in the world. Yet it failed to attract investors to its textile industry. Bangladesh has emerged as an attractive destination for Indian readymade garment manufacturers. Many Indian businesses have set up units in Bangladesh simply because the country offers ease of doing business. Bangladesh does not produce cotton. But it has successfully adopted the latest technology and machines. Pakistan is going to face a challenge from Vietnam after dealing with similar challenges from China, India and Bangladesh. According to one estimate, Vietnam’s textile exports will double to $55bn between 2015 and 2025. Vietnam is emerging as a world production centre for textile products as major global apparel makers expand their production operations in the country.
Source: Dawn.com
MULTAN-All Pakistan Powerlooms Association (APPLA) threatened on Thursday to shut down their business and sell out machinery in scrap if the government does not announce a bailout package for Powerloom Industry, pattern one the one announced for textile Industry. Addressing a crowded press conference here today APPLA Central President Khaliq Qandeel Ansari, General Secretary Saeed Ahmed Saeedi, Haji Bashir Ahmed Ansari and others pointed out that 70 percent powerlooms have so far been shut down due to expensive electricity and unafforable prices of yarn. They demanded separate power tariff for powerloom industry, which, they said, should not be more than Rs6/unit, Locally manufactured machinery and local labour be adjusted under CPEC project to reduce the unemployment and New Textile policy be introduced with the consent of all stakeholders of cotton. He said that banners inscribed with their demands would be displayed on March 11 across the country and a national convention would be organised in Kasur in which a deadline would be announced for acceptance of their demands .He said that powerlooms owners were selling their machinery in scrape. Khaliq Qandeel Ansari stressed the need for exploring new markets to sell Pakistan textile products because old buyers have gone to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Taiwan due to energy crisis as we failed to meet their demands on time. They alleged that policies of present regime have put the last nail in the powerlooms coffin. He said that spinning sector had destroyed the value added industry of Pakistan by exporting maximum cotton yarn to the competitors. He stressed the need for taking measure to reduce the cost of production to make the trade viable and crackdown on the smugglers of foreign clothes. Punjab empowering widows Punjab Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Asif Saeed Manais has said that the Punjab Government has launched a revolutionary scheme to uplift the financial condition of widows in rural areas under which animals will be distributed among them. He observed this while addressing a ceremony to distribute animals among widows of Multan here on Thursday. He said that the programme would make the widows and orphans self-reliant and they would not remain dependant on anyone. He disclosed that 700 widows of Multan would be given buffaloes and cows in first phase. He said that another motive behind launching this programme was to revive livestock culture in the rural areas. He said that the vaccination of livestock and other arrangements for their look after would also be made by the Punjab Government while cash through insurance would also be given to the women against their livestock. He disclosed that the livestock department would make a three-year agreement with the women and they would not be allowed to sell out these animals before three year period. He further revealed that the Punjab Government was giving Rs5,000 per bird subsidy to the persons breeding at least 25 ostriches. He said that the programme had been launched to promote culture for healthy meat consumption. He further revealed that the livestock and veterinary science departments had signed an agreement for promoting healthy meat.
Source: The Nation
The planned demonstration against the government by the Textile and Garment Workers Union to among other things demand for the revival of the anti-piracy task-force to clamp down on the influx of pirated textiles. The group, which is under the auspices of the Ghana Trades Union congress was to hit the street Thursday, March 9 to also draw government’s attention to job insecurity in the industry that has been worsened by piracy. They were also not happy that the 2017 budget statement failed to touch on government policies geared at helping revive the industry that has seen a downturn in the last years. General Secretary of the Union, Abraham Koomson, explained the cancellation followed successful interaction with the Trade Ministry. “The workers had to call off the demonstration because the ministry responded. The trade minister is out of the country, but the chief director replied the workers and I know they are content with the response that is why the demonstration was cancelled,” he explained. He pointed out that demonstration was not instigated by any political motive, and that the Union will not hesitate to carry out its action should the government address their concerns satisfactorily in their subsequent meetings. “This is not any action with any political motivation. It is about the people whose jobs are threatened. We believe as a group that we should be reinforced to do what is right and save the textile industry”, he clarified.
Source: Ghana Web
The Government is eyeing an improved slice of the global cotton market with increased production of the crop that is currently at just 10.4 per cent of the countries potential. Officials said yesterday with support to farmers, better cotton varieties, transparent pricing and irrigation projects, the country can surpass the 1984 peak when production hit 70,000 bales of lint cotton per year. Interim Head of Fibre Crops Directorate Anthony Muriithi said the country had a potential of 384,500 hactares that can be put under cotton using both rain-fed and irrigation methods. “The production potential from these hactares is 368,000 bales of lint cotton per year but this is only possible with strengthening of the policy and eliminating market distortions,” he said. Speaking at a Nairobi hotel during the launch of the 15th Annual Conference of African Cotton Association, Mr Muriithi said the current 40,000 bales were not enough to meet the growing demand in the international market. Furthermore, the current production is just at 572 kilograms per hectare compared to the world’s average of 726 kilograms on the same piece of land. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett, in a speech delivered by Director of Crop Management Johnson Irungu, said the crop had to be supported more to eliminate poverty and enhance food security. Currently, about 40,000 smallholder farmers depend on the crop for a living. “Kenya identifies the crop as important in employment creation too. This is due to a long value chain ranging from cotton production to finished products,” said the CS. The cotton value chain flows from production, ginning, spinning, weaving and garment-making. But at the moment, garment manufacturers are allowed by law to import raw and intermediate materials from other countries and carry out final processing. With seven operational factories in the country, their machines are just utilised up to 50 per cent with 80 per cent of raw material imported. This, Mr Bett said, would change through a policy shift where cotton would only be grown in Kenya so that locals benefit in the entire value chain. “This will be done through checking our cost of production and increasing efficiencies at all parts of the value chain,” said the CS, adding that high costs of inputs were making Kenya’s cotton uncompetitive in the international markets. The Government is making a comeback in Bura and Hola irrigation schemes, where 40 per cent of total cotton produced used to come from. According to Mr Mriithi, foreign investors were being engaged to set up processing factories locally. The country has 22 ginneries, but only eight are operational and are privately-owned. The utilisation capacity also ranges from a low of 17 per cent to 31 per cent, making the rest of the capacity idle. New varieties of cotton from Turkey and Israel are also being tested, with hybrid varieties from India and Pakistan also on the Government’s radar. This is expected to help settle on high-yielding varieties. Farmers have in the past complained of low prices and exploitation from middlemen but the introduction of transparency in pricing has seen the price per kilo move from Sh20 in 2005 to Sh42 in 2013.
Source: The Standard
As demand outpaces production, cotton prices are likely to gradually increase, according to Abares, the official Australian commodities bureau. The forecast factors in expectations of continued declines in world inventories, which is projected to fall from a high of 24.3 million tonnes around two years ago to 16.0 million tonnes in 2021-22. Cotton prices, as measured by the Cotlook A index, averaged 78 cents a pound this season, on an August-to-July basis. Abares forecast this price to average 80.4 cents a pound in 2017-18, and gradually rising to 88.0 cents a pound in 2021-22. This also implies that the cotton price is likely to fall in the short-term as the Cotlook A index currently stands at around 87 cents a pound. The demand for cotton will keep on rising despite favourable returns to growers. Global cotton consumption will, after a 7 per cent jump next season, rise by 2.4 per cent a year, spurred by "an expected rise in demand for clothing and textiles in Europe, the US, Japan and Australia". This will lead to an increased mill activity in top textile manufacturing nations including India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia. "The textile and garment industries in these countries are expanding rapidly," Abares said, while flagging the prospect of "constrained" consumption in China, where a growing reliance on imported fibre will constrain industry competitiveness. "China is facing strong competition in the international textile market from neighbouring, low-cost Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia." Meanwhile, supported by the improved production, and "strong world demand for high quality Australian cotton", Abares expects Australian exports to rise 44 per cent to 774,000 tonnes this season, and to 1.06 million tonnes in 2017-18.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
SS Sarwar, group CEO, CEMS Global US &Asia Pacific addressing a press conference with Ejaz Sarwar, country director of CEMS Lanka and Md Sharif Hussain, manager – exhibitor services & international co The 8th Textech Sri Lanka 2017 International Expo, an exhibition on textile garment technology and machinery, focuses on the entire textile and garment sector of the country. The fair is currently underway in Colombo along with two concurrent fairs, – 26th Dye+Chem Sri Lanka 2017 International Expo and 8th Colombo International Yarn & Fabric Show 2017. More than 200 exhibitors from over 6 countries are participating in these three-day expos. The 3 expos are targeting the entire business community and are playing an important role by assembling worldwide technology, machinery and material manufacturers and chemical sector under one roof. The Dye+Chem expo is not only targeting the textile and apparel sector, but also to the entire manufacturing sector of Sri Lanka. CEMS-Global's Sri Lanka branch, CEMS Lanka, launched the fair with a vision to further expand into the fast booming Sri Lankan sector and bringing reputed international manufacturers and suppliers through its exhibitions to Sri Lanka. With the ever increasing competition in the world market, the industries of Sri Lanka can expand their share in the market abroad and at the same time attract more foreign investment in the garment and textile industry, said CEMS Lanka in a press release. The textile and apparel industry of South Asia has a key position in the export sector. Keeping in mind the potential of this sector and to further boost exports, CEMS-Global has been organising the Textech series of exhibitions for the last 17 years. The organiser brought this International branded exhibition to Sri Lanka as there is a need for exhibitions, which display the latest technology that the country can obtain to compete in the global market. The Textech, Dye+Chem and Yarn & Fabric are CEMS-Global's international series of exhibitions which are held in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Brazil and Indonesia. Dye+Chem and Yarn & Fabric series of events are also organised in India and Singapore.
Source: Fibre2Fashion
Radiation is now being explored to treat industrial waste in developing countries like China which has set up its first such plant to clean wastewater from a textile dyeing facility. The technology though being used in industrial countries is not available in the developing world. The plant is part of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project. Other countries with significant textile manufacturing industries, such as India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, are also considering introducing the technology with the assistance of the IAEA. India is already using gamma irradiation to treat municipal sewage sludge. The facility that uses electron beams to treat industrial wastewater has been opened up in Jinhua city, 300 kilometres south of Shanghai. It is meant to treat 1500 cubic metres of wastewater per day, around a sixth of the plant's output. Textile dyeing accounts for a fifth of all industrial wastewater pollution worldwide. While several industrial countries have used radiation to treat some of the effluent from textile dyeing plants, a lot of the wastewater goes untreated since much of the industry has relocated to developing countries in Asia in recent years. The IAEA project examined transfer of technology to several countries, mostly in Asia. The Chinese plant has been set up with advice of experts from Hungary, Korea and Poland, said Jianlong Wang, deputy director of the Nuclear and Energy Technology Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing and the principal researcher behind the project. "If everything goes smoothly, we will be able to roll out the technology to the rest of the plant and eventually to other plants across the country," Wang said. Despite advances in conventional wastewater treatment technology, radiation remains the only technology that can treat the most stubborn colourants in wastewater, according to Sunil Sabharwal, radiation processing specialist at the IAEA. "The problem is that the technology exists in developed countries, while most of the need now is in the developing world," he said. Wastewater from textile dyeing contains molecules that cannot be treated with bacteria, workhorses of wastewater treatment as they digest and break down pollutants. It is because to colour textiles, compounds with large, long and complex chains are used. Wastewater from the industry may contain more than 70 complex chemicals that do not easily degrade. By irradiating the effluent using electron beams, scientists break these complex chemicals into smaller molecules, which can then be treated and removed using normal biological processes. Irradiation is done using short-lived reactive radicals.
Source: Fibre2fashion
