The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council

MARKET WATCH 6 MAY, 2017

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

'State check posts will go under GST; excise point may stay'

New Delhi:  State level check posts which collect taxes on movement of goods will not be required under the GST regime that will take effect from July 1, although excise collection points may remain as they relate to taxation on alcohol, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said today. The rates will be common under the Goods and Services Tax and for the movement of goods in or outside a state, there is no need to check whether goods have moved physically out of the state or not, he said. "So, as far as taxation is concerned, the check posts will go. There are couple of other check posts like the state excise check posts. State excise is the state duty on liquor/alcohol, now these things may remain," he said at the concluding day of 'India Integrated Transport & Logistics Summit 2017' here. Petroleum and alcohol products are not to be covered under the new indirect tax regime until the GST Council decides to impose a rate on them. Adhia said the government is also in talks with various states to remove the check posts falling under road transport. On the issue of service tax rate, he said it is yet to be decided by the GST Council but it may differ for the transportation sector. "Initial expectation of the market is that it should go to about 18 per cent for service tax. As far as transportation sector is concerned, because we are not able to give you the input tax credit that is given on petrol and diesel, the rate will be different," he said. "What that rate will be, I cannot say, but it will be different for transportation sector," he added. The next meeting of the GST Council is scheduled for May 18-19. In this round of the meeting to be headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Council is scheduled to finalise the rates of different commodities and services. It is also expected to approve rates of remaining items. The Council has already approved half of the rules that are required for rolling out of GST from the scheduled date. Rules on registration of entities under GST, filing of returns, payment of tax and refund, invoicing and debit and credit notes have already been amended by the Council.

Source: India Express

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It’s going to be a long time before India becomes a nation of shopaholics

For all the excitement over India’s booming consumer economy, the country’s shoppers are still frugal in buying clothes. India’s spending on apparel and footwear is expected to hit $70 billion by 2020, up from $63 billion for the year ended March 2017, according to a new report by retail insight company Fung Global Retail and Technology. Indians spent $645 billion on retail overall in the same year. In per capita terms, though, India still trails other major economies and BRIC nations. For instance, in 2015, per capita apparel consumption in India was just $45, compared to $172 in China. By 2025, India’s per capita spend is expected to jump to $123, but it won’t be catching up with the rest of the world anytime soon. “That means (apparel consumption per capita) will still be lower in 2025 than it was in 2015 in the other BRIC nations and many of the world’s large developed economie” the report says. That’s because India’s much-talked about retail explosion is still a relatively new phenomenon, and largely urban. For years, Indians relied on traditional wear and local brands for their wardrobes. Of late, however, foreign companies such as Zara, Gap, and H&M have brought in much more options, capitalising on growing disposable incomes and changing tastes in big cities. While affluent and aspirational urban Indian households are now more willing to spend on branded clothing and shoes, there’s a whole other segment that remains out of reach: Close to 67% of India’s population still lives in villages, where spending huge sums on western clothing is hardly a priority. Moreover, India lags far behind other countries when it comes to retail infrastructure, with a shortfall of good quality malls and shopping spaces. Nearly 89% of shopping in India still occurs at traditional neighbourhood stores, Fung noted in its report, adding that the country ranks the lowest among the major markets when it comes to the modernisation of the retail industry. That means it’s going to take a long time before India’s per capita spending on discretionary items matches that of other nations. But there is a silver lining: India’s demographics. The country is home to a massive population of young people, and Fung expects this will help companies sell even more denims and dresses in the years to come.

Source:  Quartz India,

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Over 16,000 handlooms geo-tagged: KTR

Hyderabad: Geo-tagging of 16,776 handlooms in the State, along with the photographs of looms and the weavers’ Aadhaar number, has been completed for better the implementation of the welfare schemes, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles KT Rama Rao said on Friday. The Minister, who held a review meeting with department officials, directed them to intensify the process of establishing a special corporation to purchase handloom products from the weavers directly to ensure a better price.  “The government is now equipped with a detailed information on the status of the sector, including the number of handlooms, production per year and yarn required. Of the total 16,776 handlooms, 5,505 looms are presently running under societies,” the Minister said, adding that the survey was carried out to ensure error-free implementation of schemes.

Rao said that handloom production, as per the recent survey, was 209 lakh metres and of this, 106.36 lakh metres was cotton, 57.38 lakh metres silk, 38.10 lakh metres polyester and 7.62 lakh metres wool, totally valued at Rs 717 crore. “The State government has decided to provide 40 per cent (Rs 82 crore) input subsidy for the purchase of Rs 206 crore of yarn, which is the requirement. The subsidy is in addition to the Central government’s 10 per cent subsidy for the purpose,” he said. He pointed out that the Handloom and Textile Department officials had studied the Tamil Nadu Co-optex model. Director, Handlooms and Textiles Shailaja Ramaiyer and other officials took part in the meeting.

Source: TelanganaToday

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First apparel production centre of Meghalaya inaugurated

SHILLONG: A production centre for apparel making at Mahendraganj, South West Garo Hills, was inaugurated by local MLA and chairperson, Meghalaya Resources & Employment Generation Council, Dikkanchi D. Shira, on Wednesday. The first-ever production centre in the region and the state as a whole, it was set up by the Guwahati-based Voluntary Association for Social Upliftment (VASU) in a two-storey building under the sponsorship of department of commerce and industries, Government of Meghalaya. "Presently, the centre is equipped with 25 machines and can employ at least 30 workers to produce high quality apparels and garments to meet the demands of present day generation," an official release read. Shira gave away certificates to those who had successfully undergone training in tailoring and apparel making at a function held at Mahendraganj Multi-Facility Centre. The training was conducted by VASU under the department of commerce and industries with a project cost of Rs 88.5 lakh, which included the cost of machineries, training fees, raw materials and stipend for trainees. "Under tailoring and apparel-making training project, altogether 200 youth have been trained in four batches at Mahendraganj and Ampati with a training duration of 50 working days per batch. The successful trainees would be absorbed as workforce in the newly-inaugurated production centre at Mahendraganj," the official statement said.

Source: The Times of India

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Global Crude oil price of Indian Basket was US$ 48.82 per bbl on 04.05.2017

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$ 48.82 per barrel (bbl) on 04.05.2017. This was lower than the price of US$ 49.56 per bbl on previous publishing day of 03.05.2017. In rupee terms, the price of Indian Basket decreased to Rs. 3135.01 per bbl on 04.05.2017 as compared to Rs. 3179.27 per bbl on 03.05.2017. Rupee closed weaker at Rs. 64.21 per US$ on 04.05.2017 as compared to Rs. 64.14 per US$ on 03.05.2017. The table below gives details in this regard:

 Particulars    

Unit

Price on May 04, 2017 (Previous trading day i.e. 03.05.2017)                                                                

Pricing Fortnight for 01.05.2017

(April 12, 2017 to April 26, 2017)

Crude Oil (Indian Basket)

($/bbl)

             48.82            (49.56)  

52.36

(Rs/bbl)

           3135.01        (3179.27)       

3374.60

Exchange Rate

  (Rs/$)

             64.21             (64.14)

64.45

Source: PIB

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`GST, Broadened Tax Base to Take India's GDP Growth to 8% in FY19'

 

India's economy should expand at about 8% in the financial year ending March 2019, paced by a stable goods and services tax (GST) platform, public investments in infrastructure, and a widening tax base, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said. “In 2017-18, we are expecting a 7.5% growth...it would be reasonable to expect that in 2018-19, India will log close to 8% growth,“ Das told the visiting Indian media contingent in Yokohama. He is in the Japanese port city, located south of Tokyo, to attend the Asian Development Bank's annual meeting. His growth expectations are based on the implementation of the GST, billed as India's biggest tax reform, since Independence. Likely to be introduced from July 1 this year, the GST would replace multiple levies with a single tax, and its stabilising impact is expected to be evident by the next financial year. The International Monetary Fund expects the adoption of the GST to help raise India's medium-term GDP growth to over 8%. “GST's impact this year will be felt for nine months. The full year impact of GST will be seen in 2018-19...Demonetisation is leading to the widening of the tax base. All these factors put together, we expect good growth, “ Das said. Commenting on the global rating agencies that have not upgraded their outlook on India's growth, the secretary said they need to introspect as they are detached from ground realities, and were not giving sufficient weightage to the accelerating pace of reforms. He said India's growth prospects have linkages with the strength of the rupee, but said the government has no role in fixing the currency's level. The rupee has appreciated almost 5% against the US dollar since January. “Exports have been doing well but the international situation is changing. The rupee in the market will find its true level because we also have an import bill. The rupee will maintain its valuation,“ he reasoned. Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that the strengthening of the rupee is also a reflection on the performance of the economy. Besides the rupee, Das said the strength of the economy is reflected by factors such as the GDP growth, inflation management, the fiscal numbers, and encouraging exports.

THE FDI APPROVAL MECHANISM

While the government is constantly reviewing the FDI policy, Das said there would be a mechanism associated with the respective sector to provide investment approval when needed. “So, as long as there is a requirement of any government approval, there has to be some mechanism in the government to give that approval and that mechanism by and large would be the ministry or the regulator concerned,“ Das said. India is in the process of doing away with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board that was responsible for approving FDI projects in the country. However, Das said that where a project needs security clearances, it will have to be taken from the home ministry.

BILATERAL INVESTMENT PACTS

A month after the new bilateral investment treaty (BIT) came into force, Das said India has finalised negotiations under the new model text with at least three countries, and they have been approved by the cabinet. “We wait for the other country to ratify before we give it out,“ he said. Last year, India had asked all countries with which it has investment protection agreements, including the European Union, to re-negotiate those pacts on the basis of the new model text of the BIT. “We have been repeatedly stressing the need to start the negotiations, but from their side, we have not got any response. But we are pursuing the matter with them,“ he added.European Union decided that the European commission would negotiate on behalf of all European countries. The European Commission had raised its concerns over negotiations for a fresh BIT, as all existing investment protection agreements would be null and void from March 31 once the revised BIT kicks in. The revised model BIT will be used for renegotiation of the existing bilateral investment promotion and protection agreements (BIPAs), and negotiation of future BITs and investment chapters in various free trade pacts.

Source: Economic Times

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Govt may Revamp FTP to Boost Exports

New Delhi: India plans to revamp its foreign trade policy and relook at incentives to give a leg-up to the export sector, which is hurt by lower global demand as well as an appreciating rupee. The government proposes to come out with a mid-term review of the foreign trade policy (FTP) 201520 in September, commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman told ET. “We have asked stakeholders, whoever are interested, to give us inputs,” she said. “We are looking at it in depth and in all its details.” The foreign trade policy, announced in 2015, has set an export target of $900 billion, or about ₹ 58 lakh crore, by 2020. In 2016-17, India’s merchandise shipments aggregated at $275 billion, or about ₹ 17,70,000 crore. To achieve the FTP target in five years, exports have to grow at 14% every year. That wouldn’t be easy at a time when the US and some other developed countries are moving towards increased protectionism in trade. “Between 2014 and today, a lot has changed. Exports are happening, but globally trade is in a depressed situation,” Sitharaman said. “India went through a bad patch and is now recovering.” She will hold a day-long consultation with the stakeholders on Saturday on FTP. Make in India will continue to be a significant factor influencing the policy. Already, the policy provides for higher level of rewards to products with high domestic content and value addition compared to ET ARCHIVE products with high import content and less value addition. The government is likely to provide special incentives to a smaller list of sectors from among the 25 fo- cus areas for the Make in India programme. Some aspects of the foreign trade policy will be modified to align in with the goods and service tax, which is likely to be rolled out in July this year. FTP 2015-20 had introduced two new schemes: merchandise exports from India scheme (MEIS) & services exports from India scheme (SEIS). These schemes replaced multiple schemes, each with different conditions for eligibility and usage. Incentives under these schemes have been made available for SEZs too. E-commerce of handicrafts, handlooms and books among others are eligible for benefits.

Source: Economic Times

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Global Textile Raw Material Price 2017-05-04

Item

Price

Unit

Fluctuation

Date

PSF

1080.55

USD/Ton

-0.33%

5/4/2017

VSF

2266.98

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

ASF

2291.63

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

Polyester POY

1098.68

USD/Ton

-0.98%

5/4/2017

Nylon FDY

2494.69

USD/Ton

-1.15%

5/4/2017

40D Spandex

5366.48

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

Polyester DTY

1334.37

USD/Ton

-0.54%

5/4/2017

Nylon POY

2799.27

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

Acrylic Top 3D

5816.10

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

Polyester FDY

1363.38

USD/Ton

-0.53%

5/4/2017

Nylon DTY

2378.66

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

Viscose Long Filament

2465.68

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

30S Spun Rayon Yarn

2886.30

USD/Ton

-0.25%

5/4/2017

32S Polyester Yarn

1682.46

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

45S T/C Yarn

2683.24

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

40S Rayon Yarn

1842.01

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

T/R Yarn 65/35 32S

2248.12

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

45S Polyester Yarn

3031.34

USD/Ton

-0.48%

5/4/2017

T/C Yarn 65/35 32S

2349.65

USD/Ton

0%

5/4/2017

10S Denim Fabric

1.35

USD/Meter

0%

5/4/2017

32S Twill Fabric

0.85

USD/Meter

0%

5/4/2017

40S Combed Poplin

1.18

USD/Meter

0%

5/4/2017

30S Rayon Fabric

0.66

USD/Meter

0%

5/4/2017

45S T/C Fabric

0.66

USD/Meter

0%

5/4/2017

Source: Global Textiles

Note: The above prices are Chinese Price (1 CNY = 0.14504 USD dtd.

11/10/2016) The prices given above are as quoted from Global Textiles.com.  SRTEPC is not responsible for the correctness of the same.

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Garment-textile businesses seek to penetrate Russia

HÀ NỘI – With the demand to import more than US$10 billion worth of apparel products each year, Russia is a market with potential for Vietnamese garment-textile businesses. According to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, businesses have received many jackets and jeans orders from Russian companies in recent years. The garment-textile industry was predicted to get the most benefits when the free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union came into force in October 2016. At present, Việt Nam exports about $320 million worth of apparel each year to Russia, making up roughly 2 per cent of the country’s total exports. The figure is expected to exceed $1 billion, accounting for 10 per cent of total exports, in the next few years. Chairman of the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association Vũ Đức Giang said Russia has a cold climate, so its consumers have a big demand for jackets and jeans. "However, the problem is how to bring the products into the market at competitive prices since Russia still faces economic difficulties and sales of apparel in the market are not as strong as in the European Union," Giang said. Additionally, the geographical distance between Việt Nam and Russia would make it difficult for businesses to complete payment, he said, adding that more bank branches should be opened in Russia for direct payment between businesses. He advised businesses to study the market thoroughly before exporting to Russia and other northern European nations, as well as to make regular contact with partners for long-term co-operation. Enterprises should have business strategies to cope with fierce competition on quality and price in the market, he noted. It was necessary to create high-quality products, improve designs, and build brand names, he said. According to the Vietnam Customs, garment-textile export turnover to Russia increased by over 30 per cent year-on-year to reach $110 million in 2016. — VNS

Source: Viet Nam News

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Pakistan : Textile industry for maintaining zero-rating in budget

LAHORE - The textile industry has urged the government to continue the sales tax zero-rating facility to five export-oriented sectors in the upcoming federal budget 2017-18, besides speeding up the disbursement of drawbacks under the PM export package. The major textile bodies including All Pakistan Textile Mills Association and Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association have said that any move to withdraw zero rating regime for the five exporting sectors would tantamount to devastating impact on the growth of textile industry in Pakistan. PHMA Chairman Adil Butt criticised the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) proposal to withdraw zero-rated tax regime granted last year after a long debate and hectic efforts of the exporting industry. “FBR wants to end the facility just to make its balance sheet correct. The balance sheet might show enhanced revenue collection but the industry would be collapsed if the ‘no tax no refund’ system is withdrawn, which is already not being implemented properly,” he lamented. APTMA Chairman Aamir Fayyaz has also urged the government to continue with zero-rating regime in next budget to revive industrial viability and encourage investment. He said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had introduced this regime after threadbare discussion – especially, to help the five export-oriented sectors that had become uncompetitive in the region due to escalating cost of doing business. It was further analysed that it was beyond the exporter’s means to acquire taxable inputs and keep waiting for refund. In fact, it was agreed that the government would finally move to no tax-no refund arrangement for exporters. Fayyaz further said that such regime worked successfully when it was originally introduced in 2005 and went a long way in boosting exports in those years. The PHMA chairman said the National Assembly Standing Committee on Textile Industry had also supported the value-added textile sector’s demand for declaring all five export-oriented sectors as zero-rated. He observed that zero-rating of tax had reduced the work load of the Federal Board of Revenue, sparing the export sector from wasting time in getting refunds. This regime was allowed after proper diligence and comprehensive research. Adil urged the government that instead of ending zero-rated regime it should implement this system in true spirit in budget 2017-18 as billions of rupees of exporters are still stuck up in refund regime. He said that zero-rating facility was reinstated in order to save the exporters from liquidity crunch; however, the FBR wanted to sabotage the government's efforts of enhancing export. It has rolled back all sales tax refund payment orders (RPO) considering unnecessary objections, adding the miseries of exporters.

Source: The Nation

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NCC unhappy over absence of cotton policy in bill

National Cotton Council is disappointed over non-inclusion of the cottonseed policy developed by the US cotton industry in consultation with Congress, in the fiscal year 2017 omnibus appropriations bill. The policy, broadly supported by the entire US cotton industry and many other farm bill stakeholders, is designed to help development of the 2018 farm bill. National Cotton Council (NCC) chairman Ronnie Lee stated that the cottonseed policy is also budget neutral with the costs offset only by cotton-related provisions and is vetted and supported by a broad, bipartisan group in Congress. "The Senators' desire to help dairy producers somehow became a pre-requisite for whether Congress could provide a policy to cotton producers to help respond to the ongoing financial and trade policy challenges," Lee said. "There was no rationale or justification for linking support between cotton and dairy producers. These actions not only have left cotton producers with no near-term options to help them deal with long-running economic issues, but have harmed the prospects for developing a new farm bill. Without the cottonseed policy in place, the result is that all farm bill stakeholders will be seeking support from an expected smaller overall budget available for the next farm bill," Lee said. "The NCC will now shift its focus to working with Secretary Perdue to determine what administrative options USDA has to help cotton producers. Our industry will remain optimistic that the economic well-being of farm families and our rural communities will ultimately prevail over Congressional politics," Lee said. The cottonseed policy was developed by all of the cotton industry's segments and production regions over the course of the past two years. A letter from 58 cotton organisations was recently sent to Appropriations Committee leaders outlining this policy and the immediate need for it.

Source: Fibre2Fashion

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Designers get connected to young crowd via ‘smart’ clothes

PARIS – A young man pulls on a denim jacket, tucks his smartphone into an inside pocket, puts on headphones and mounts his bike. Riding through San Francisco, he occasionally taps or swipes his right hand over the left cuff of his jacket as he listens to directions. The above is from an ad from U.S. jeans maker Levi Strauss for Project Jacquard, an initiative with Google that the companies started two years ago for “smart” denim. The future of the popular fabric was the focus at a recent international fashion fair in Paris — after all, the word “denim” derives from the French “serge de Nimes,” a serge cloth from the city of Nimes. The fair featured many wearable innovations such as a waterproof jacket with sunscreen bands and a cable in the pocket to recharge a cellphone, or jeans that keep your body temperature stable. Once mainly the purview of athletic gear — with moisture-wicking shirts and pants and then clothing that can track motion, heart rate and body temperature — the new trend for fashion designers is to take everyday wear and transform it using new technologies. This is clothing made from specially woven fabric with touch-screen control capabilities that can be designed in such a way to visually stand out or go unnoticed, depending on designers’ wishes. French fashion company Spinal Design, for example, has created jeans that can give wearers directions. Through Bluetooth sensors stitched into the jeans’ waistband, the smartphone stays out of sight. “You put a destination into the pap, (and) sensors will vibrate right if you need to turn right, left if you need to turn left,” Spinal innovation director Romain Spinal said. In 2015, the company designed a bikini that tells women when it is time to apply more sunscreen. It comes with a small detachable ultraviolet sensor that, through a smartphone or tablet, sends a “sunscreen alert” when the sunbather’s skin needs more protective cream. The detector is calibrated to the wearer’s skin type and how much of a tan he or she wants to get. The Spinal jeans, made in France, also have email notification capabilities. “They will vibrate differently depending on whether the message received is from your family, your friends or work, in a way that you won’t have to constantly check your email on weekends or on vacation,” Spinal said. Google and Levi expect to release their denim jacket this year, but it will come with a hefty $350 price tag due in part to its special interactive fabric, which allows the jacket’s wearer to order various products online. Other companies have also jumped on the “smart” denim bandwagon. Using thermo-regulated fabric and microfiber cloth popular in athletic wear, Brazilian textile maker Vicugna Textil has designed denims that will keep the wearer’s core temperature stable. American designer Cone Denim has blended its denims with technical textile fibers from equipment used on motorcycles — this to better tout the sturdiness of its clothes. But these companies recognize that there has to be more to “smart” jeans than just fashion sense and connected capabilities and that means making sure they are environmentally friendly. “The consumer demands greater traceability and ecology, especially when it comes to denim, because it is a product that is a bit controversial,” said Marion Foret, fashion products chief for Premiere Vision Paris, which organizes trade shows for the textile and clothing sector, including the denim show. Denim is a product “that doesn’t always carry the best reputation, so textile makers are forced to use more ecological processes,” Foret added, such as making denims with organic or traceable cotton, cleaning denims without water, and using dyes that won’t pollute the land. In keeping with that trend, Dutch fashion designer Pauline van Wongen makes denims using fabrics from used and already worn jeans. Others seek to keep consumers better informed, like Pakistani manufacturer Artistic Fabric Mills, which developed an app to retrace the history of the jeans. But for some young fashion students the future of jeans is not all about technology. “Connecting jeans to a smartphone is not necessarily what we want to have,” said Aurelia Martin, who studies fashion in Brussels. “There are problems that are a little more essential in terms of production, the dye, the cotton, the (jeans’) pretty weak longevity and the quality.”

Source: The Japan Times

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Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week to focus on sustainability

The central theme of the upcoming Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week, which will take place from 3-6 October 2017, is Sustainability in Clothing. A conference running parallel to the trade fair will discuss the themes that are currently dominating the textile industry. Experts will shine a spotlight on various issues, including that of sustainability, with a particular focus on production, the environment and certifications. A fashion show, trend area and matchmaking platform are just some of the programme highlights to be found in the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, organisers report.

Sustainable fashion and production

The origins of fashion and sustainable production is becoming particularly relevant to more and more fashion buyers. The Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week is anticipating an increasing interest in eco fashion and will present new approaches in this respect. H&M, WRAP, GIZ (Society for International Cooperation) Ethiopia and Solidaridad will present sustainable solutions as part of the conference. International manufacturers of textile machines will also be showcasing new technologies for the African market. This includes the Italian textile machine association ACIMIT, which will be represented with a range of product innovations. Designers will also get a specific information offer targeted to them at the trade fair: at a separate designer conference, experts will give presentations on International Fashion – designed in Africa. In WSGN, a renowned trend agency will make a contribution to future trends in women's, men's and children's clothing. Visitors and exhibitors can look forward to further design highlights in the area Trend House – international trends made in Africa, organisers explain.

New trade fair brands

The Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week (ASFW) is Africa's largest textile trade fair and has taken place in the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa since 2015. It serves as a meeting place for garment manufacturers and the east African textile industry. Apparel fabrics, fashion and accessories are the main items on display, and home collections and decorative items are also presented. Machine manufacturers for garment production, CAD/CAM systems, printers, inks and accessories have a strong presence. As a new cooperation partner of the event, Messe Frankfurt is expecting international textile suppliers and buyers to attend the third edition of the biggest textile trade fair in Africa. Within the context of the partnership, the three new trade fair brands Texworld Addis Ababa, Apparel Sourcing Addis Ababa and Texprocess Addis Ababa will be launched at Africa Sourcing & Fashion Week. The event trio will present over 250 international exhibitors from 25 countries.

Source: Knitting Industry

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Iran : Nomadic carpets, textile in limelight at Tehran exhibit

TEHRAN – A vast variety of handwoven rugs, carpets, and textile designs by Iranian nomads have been put on show at Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran. It also turns the spotlight on Gabbeh rugs which combine thick, heavy pile with bold colors and shapes in unusual and exciting combinations. Products of 30 provinces including Fars, Sistan-Baluchestan, Gilan, Isfahan, Golestan, and North Khorasan have been brought together for the exhibit that comes to an end on May 5.

Source: Tehran Times

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'Ethiopia competing with Indonesian textile industry'

Indonesia is trying to attract textile manufacturers to produce in the country as they are moving away from China owing to increased labour costs and air pollution. However, the country is facing tough competition from East African country Ethiopia, which is attracting a number of manufacturers owing to its competitive costs and availability of cheap labour. Electricity in Ethiopia is relatively cheap costing 4 cents per kilowatt hour. Additionally, as per the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) with the US, exports from Ethiopia are not limited by quotas or duties, said Indonesian media reports quoting Ade Sudrajat, chairman, Indonesian Textile Association (API). Some of their members have already invested in Ethiopia's textile sector, said Sudrajat while addressing a discussion on the textile industry. Close to 124 foreign investors, including 71 from China, are interested in Ethiopia's textile industry, according to the Ethiopian Investment Commission. On the other hand, as per the data from Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board, investment realisation in Indonesia's textile sector decreased by 7.3 per cent. It earned Rp 8.14 trillion in 2015 and Rp 7.55 trillion in 2016.

Source: Fibre2fashion

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BizVibe: Textiles Exports Booming in Several Countries

LONDON: Governments in India, Brazil, and Indonesia are launching initiatives to boost their textile and apparel industries, particularly in terms of exports. Details on these developments and more can be found on BizVibe. India threatens China for title of largest home textile producer  Newly announced government initiatives supporting home textile exports are promising to help India ? currently the worlds second-largest home textile producer ? overtake global leader China over the next few years. Indias home textile industry is currently valued at USD 4.9 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8% to reach USD 5.29 billion by the end of 2018. Last year, the government of India launched a new initiative to further support the made-up sector. The made-up sector includes products like towels, bed sheets, blankets, curtains, crochet laces, pillow covers, embroidery articles, and other home textile items, and under this initiative will receive production incentives and subsidies similar to those the garment sector currently benefits from. Brazils Textile and Apparel Exports Are Revitalizing Brazils textile and apparel industry is beginning to recover from its economic recession. Exports are on the rise, particularly to Arabic markets. According to recent figures from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), Brazilian exports of textiles and apparel to Arabic countries have risen by 87.5% over the previous year, reaching USD 3 million in the first two months of 2017. To boost Brazilian textile and apparel industry exports, the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Agency (Apex-Brazil) have launched the Texbrasil program. Official figures show that Brazilian textile and apparel companies that have participated in the program expanded their export markets to Arab countries by 40% in 2016, reaching a total value USD 4.1 million that year.

Indonesia's Textile Exports Achieve New Success

According to the latest figures revealed by Indonesias Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, the countrys exports of textiles and textile products have risen by 3% since 2016. They were valued at USD 2 billion in the first two months of 2017. Indonesias textile and apparel industry provides approximately 3 million jobs, which is over 17% of employment in the manufacturing sector. Its exports were valued at USD 11.87 billion in 2016. The Indonesian Textile Association predicts that in 2017, the country will export USD 4.8 billion in textiles and apparel to the US alone, which amounts to 39% of the countrys total exports in that sector. In order to further boost these exports, the ministry plans to implement fiscal incentives that will provide industrialists with income tax discounts for business expansions. It is also seeking a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Europe and the United States for benefits such as better tax facility. In addition to companies in India, Brazil, and Indonesia, BizVibe is home to over 100,000 textiles companies. The BizVibe platform allows you to discover the highest quality leads and make meaningful connections with your companies of interest in real time. Claim your company profile for free and let BizVibe connect you with potential business partners.

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Source: IT Business net

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US State Department seeks tougher visa scrutiny, including social media checks

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: The US Department of State has proposed tougher questioning of visa applicants believed to warrant extra scrutiny, according to a document published Thursday, in a push toward the "extreme vetting" that President Donald Trump has said is necessary to prevent terrorist attacks. Questions about social media accounts would be part of the stepped-up criteria, which would apply to 65,000 people per year, or about 0.5 percent of US visa applicants worldwide, the State Department estimated. It did not target nationals of any particular countries.  A set of new questions would apply to visa applicants "who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities," the State Department said in a notice to the Federal Register.  Those applicants would be required to provide all prior passport numbers, five years' worth of social media handles, email addresses and phone numbers, as well as 15 years of biographical information, when applying for a US visa. Consular officers would not request user passwords for social media accounts, the document said. If granted, the new criteria would mark the first concrete step toward more stringent vetting that Trump asked federal agencies to apply toward travelers from countries he deemed a threat to the United States in an executive order issued in January and revised in March.  While parts of the travel order, including a temporary ban on the entry of nationals from several majority-Muslim countries, were halted by federal courts, the review of vetting procedures detailed in an accompanying memorandum remains in place.  "Collecting additional information from visa applicants whose circumstances suggest a need for further scrutiny will strengthen our process for vetting these applicants and confirming their identity," a State Department official said.  The State Department's proposal also says that applicants may be asked to provide additional travel dates if a consular officer determines they have been in an area which was "under the operational control of a terrorist organization."  The proposed changes must undergo a public comment period before being approved or denied by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by May 18. OMB did not respond to a request for comment.  The Department of Homeland Security, which was also tasked with reviewing vetting procedures for visa applicants, said the State Department request does not preclude DHS from identifying new "ways to protect the American people."  "Some improvement will be classified, others will be public, but the Department has only just begun ways to enhance the security of our immigration system," DHS spokesman David Lapan said.

SOCIAL MEDIA SNAGS

Immigration lawyers and advocates say the request for 15 years of detailed biographical information, as well as the expectation that applicants remember all their social media handles, is likely to catch applicants who make innocent mistakes or do not remember all the information requested.  They also question whether the time-consuming screening can achieve its intended goal of identifying potential terrorists.  "The more effective tactics are the methods that we currently use to monitor terrorist organizations, not just stumbling into the terrorist who is dumb enough to post on his Facebook page 'I am going to blow up something in the United States,'" said John Sandweg, a former senior official at DHS who is now with the firm Frontier Solutions, which provides investigatory, crisis management and other services.  Applicants may not necessarily be denied a visa if they fail to provide all the information if it is determined they can provide a "credible explanation," the notice said.  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson first introduced similar measures in a March cable to American consular officers that outlined questions officers should ask in order to tighten vetting of visa applicants.  But Tillerson had to withdraw that guidance just days later because the OMB had not approved those specific questions. The State Department estimated that the additional screening measures would take approximately an hour per applicant, meaning an additional 65,000 additional hours of work per year. Tillerson's cables anticipated delays as a result of the rules implementation.  "Somebody's got to do the work," said Greg Siskind, an immigration attorney in Memphis. "It's going to cause operations at a lot of consulates slow to a crawl."

Source: Financial Express

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