The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council

MARKET WATCH 20 JUNE 2017

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

Government to unveil package for knitwear industry in 2 months

The government will announce a package for the country's knitwear sector in the next two months, a top official said today. The government in June 2016 had approved a Rs 6,006 crore special package for textiles and apparel sector to create 1 crore new jobs in three years. The government will announce a package for the country’s knitwear sector in the next two months, a top official said today. The package is expected to provide a level-playing field to the knitwear industry, which is facing tough competition from countries like China owing to factors like lower automation and lack of technology upgradation. “We met stakeholders on a package for the knitwear sector on June 5 and held consultations on the draft scheme. We will give a shape to their suggestions and decide on the size of the package. We will announce the package guidelines in two months’ time,” Secretary in the textiles ministry Anant Kumar told PTI. The government in June 2016 had approved a Rs 6,006 crore special package for textiles and apparel sector to create 1 crore new jobs in three years, attracting investments of USD 11 billion and generating USD 30 billion in exports. In December, it included the made-ups segment comprising pillows, cushions, etc. in the Rs 6,006 crore package.

Source: Financial Express

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Textile traders in Diamond City to seek all-India support for 'No GST'

SURAT: With the GST Over 300 presidents and vice-presidents from around 165 textile wholesale markets located on Ring Road, Salabatpura andcouncil failing to accept the demand of the textile traders, the textile GST sangharsh samiti has decided to garner the support of various textile traders' associations across the country to intensify the agitation against the central government. Sahara Darwaja Noisy scenes were witnessed at the meeting on Monday when a majority of the textile traders suggested that the markets should be closed for an indefinite period. However, the GST sangharsh samiti office-bearers pacified the angry traders stating that they will garner support from other textile traders' association across the country during their visit to New Delhi and then decide on the further course of action. Meanwhile, the GST sangharsh samiti has urged the traders to flood the twitter accounts of the PM and FM over the demand for 'no GST' and also post their messages on the Jan Ki Baat toll free number to press for their demands. -country's largest textile wholesale market - have unanimously decided to represent their demands for 'No GST' in the MMF sector to the GST council in New Delhi for three days starting from June 21. In the last couple of days, most of the traders have stopped purchasing grey fabrics from the weavers and have stopped sending the fabrics for finishing at the textile printing mills. Convener of GST sangharsh samiti, Tarachand Kasat said, "The Saturday's bandh call was supported by around 180 textile traders' associations across the country. The trading of textile fabrics was totally suspended across the country. Similarly, we want the support of the traders from other cities and states to make our demands heard." Kasat added, "We are camping in Delhi for three days starting from June 21. During our visit, we will meet the member of GST council and FM to represent 'No GST' in the textile sector. If nothing positive would come out, we will decide on the further course of action." Manoj Agarwal, president of Federation of Surat Textile Traders' Association (FOSTTA) said, "If nothing comes out positively till June 23, we are prepared to shut the markets for an indefinite period."

Source: The Times of India

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How GST to impact Retail and EOSS

One thing is sure that this move will benefit non-premium brands which generate 80-90% of the sales from products worth less than Rs. 1,000. But the premium brands might take a hit. Having said that, loyalty of the customers to the brands will be a defining factor for both premium and non-premium brands alike. How brands engage their customers post GST will turn out to be one of the most important factors affecting their businesses. With the much awaited launch of GST (Goods and Services Tax) making all the headlines, there has been a lot of skepticism regarding its impact on the Indian economy. Although the economists are calling it one of the most  conducive tax reforms of this century, views of traders & businesses are divided. Consumers are also anxious about how it’ll effect their lives. While FM Arun Jaitely, has eased concerns by confirming that the new tax rates will be kept at the current levels to eliminate any inflationary impact, let’s look at what retailers and consumers can expect.

What has changed for the retail business?

The textile and apparel sector is a key contributor in Indian economy. Its contribution to the country’s GDP and exports is 6% and 13% respectively. The new GST structure will replace the existing indirect taxes with a fixed tax structure for each product category which will vary from 5% to 28%. For example, apparels costing less than Rs. 1,000 will bear a tax of 5%, while a 12% tax will be levied on the ones costing above Rs. 1,000. The textile manufacturing industry, which is at the bottom of the value chain, is welcoming the 5% GST rate, while the retailers’ are divided on the final price of products. One thing is sure that this move will benefit non-premium brands which generate 80-90% of the sales from products worth less than Rs. 1,000. But the premium brands might take a hit. Having said that, loyalty of the customers to the brands will be a defining factor for both premium and non-premium brands alike. How brands engage their customers post GST will turn out to be one of the most important factors affecting their businesses.

What would be the impact of EOSS this year?

Last year’s Summer EOSS (End of Season Sale) didn’t end on a happy note with close to 5% drop in footfall and 2.5% dip in overall sales. This year the situation is pretty uncertain, mainly attributed to the higher taxes on premium products and competition from ecommerce players who are already on a mission to lure customers with heavy discounting. Though EOSS typically commences during the end of June every year, this year, most of the brands and even marketplaces such as Flipkart have already started the sale with full-fledged marketing to push-out their existing summer stock in order and make place for the next season on their shelves. This suggests that this year’s End-of-Season-Sale could be a tough game for the retail players. Most retailers have increased the discounting from last year to get ahead of the competition. Capillary Technologies’ internal study on the impact of GST on EOSS revealed a projected sales surge of 2-3% for most non-premium brands including hypermarkets where 80-90% sales come from products worth less than Rs. 1,000 while a proportional sales drop is expected for premium-brands where only 1-2% sales come from such products.

What does itmean for the consumers?

GST is poised to bring long-term benefits for consumers. Now, the customers won’t have to pay taxes-on-taxes which will bring down the price for most of the commodities and enhance product availability. Just as how there was an initial disturbance after demonetization, but in the long-run it paved the way towards a digital economy, GST’s impact in the coming times could be far reaching. According to IMF, GST has the potential to raise India’s medium-term gross domestic product (GDP) growth to over 8% and create a single national market for enhancing the efficiency of the movement of goods and services. Besides improving the ease of doing business, GST will also propel the job hiring by about 11% across the sectors (according to a study by TeamLease). GST is one measure that can be a game-changer for the economy as it will not just help in curbing inflation but also the problem of tax-evasion from distributors who current bear the burden of indirect taxes. The benefits will follow the trickle-down effect and help the under-developed states of India. Change in the business world is inevitable and if the fruits are long-lasting then these changes should be embraced. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETRetail.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETRetail.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly. About Ritesh Sharma Ritesh Sharma works as a senior analyst in the QSR Business Vertical for Capillary Technologies, offering analytics services to brands like Pizza Hut and KFC in 10+ countries of EMEA.He graduated from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur with a dual degree in Chemical Engineering. He follows startups and likes to explore business & geopolitical trends in his spare time.

Source: ETRetail.com

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GST revision after three months, blow to synthetic segment: SIMA

COIMBATORE: The decision to consider a Goods and Service Tax (GST) revision for the decentralized garment segment, three months after the rollout on July 1, would paralyze the synthetic spinning sector leading to thousands of units being closed, said Southern India Mills’ Association. “More than 80 per cent of garment manufacturing units are in the decentralized sector and undertake job work. These units would become unviable with 18 per cent service tax on the job work when compared to vertically integrated manufacturing units,” said M Senthilkumar, chairman, SIMA. The sector is the largest employer in the textile value chain creating 100 to 150 jobs per Rs 1 crore of investment. According to SIMA, the industry was hoping that the GST Council would include job work relating to garments and made–ups under the service tax list of five per cent, he added. The man-made fibre (MMF) yarn spinning sector was also hoping for GST reduction on man -made fibre and its blended spun yarn from 18 to 12 per cent as the sector was opting for optional zero rate cenvat route and paying 12.5 per cent central excise duty all along for MMF, he said. However, the council’s decision to consider any rate revision only after three months has come as a severe blow for the garmenting, made-ups and synthetic spinning sectors, Senthilkumar added. The industry is placing its hopes on the final meeting before the official rollout, with Senthilkumar stating that SIMA has urged the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to consider the industry’s demands to reduce GST rates on products during the June 30 meeting of the Council.

Source: The New Indian Express

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CMAI-TCS launches GST compliance software for textiles traders

Industry body CMAI and IT giant TCS have collaborated to develop a software for textile & garment manufactures, traders and retailers to alert them about Goods and Services Tax "We have launched (GST) compliance. GST compliance software 'Adhigam' for textiles, garment manufacturers and retailers, in association with TCS and Shah Chambers. "Priced at an extremely reasonable level, the software has unique features for highlighting the levels of compliance. The software automatically sends reminders to a vendor or a supplier, who has not paid tax at any stage in textile value chain," said Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) president Rahul Mehta in a statement here. A manufacturer will also know which vendor in the value chain has not paid the tax. Hence, the garment manufacturer can guide the vendor to pay the levy, he said.

Source: Business Standard

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GST rollout: Anti-profiteering here to stay, but clear rules required to ensure transparency

Given the GST rollout on July 1 is bound to leave thousands of companies unprepared on the paperwork, the government has done well to allow assesses a simple self-certified return for the first couple of months. Even after this, several firms would be struggling to adjust to the new system, but some teething troubles are to be expected when a change of this magnitude is being ushered in. However, the online compliance, which should become less onerous after a few months, would be worrying companies far less than the anti-profiteering clause which the government proposes to put in place for two years. Many had expected the rule to be a transient feature of the GST, with a life of less than a year. That it will remain in force for a good two years has come as a surprise, and there is no telling if the GST Council extends it since, as tax collections stabilise, the Council will be consistently cutting GST rates across all product categories for several years. The government understandably wants any gains made by manufacturers—either by virtue of a lower tax rate or higher input tax credits, or both—to be passed on to consumers, so as to achieve its objective of an inflation-neutral GST. The finance minister said on Sunday, when the rules were finally framed, he hoped the tax authorities would not need to use the anti-profiteering law and that it was merely a deterrent. While no one doubts the government’s intentions, the fact is that a provision of this nature will give the authorities the upper hand and discretion to question companies on pricing decisions. Giving the taxman the last word on pricing matters cannot be a healthy practice; if the past is anything to go by, assesses could end up being harassed and rather than the system getting cleaned up—as is the aim of GST—it could remain muddied by disputes, corruption and litigation. The price of a product is influenced by several factors. The tax incidence on manufacturers of soaps is set to fall from 23% to 18%, but an increase in the price of palmolein might constrain them from passing on the entire gains to consumers. At the end of the day, prices, in a free economy, must be determined by demand and supply and the government must support this school of thought. That the anti-profiteering authority will be manned entirely by a team of government officers cannot be reassuring for industry; replacing a couple of the officials with independent tax experts, or former judges, would go down well with India Inc. Indeed, experience with tax officials has been quite unfortunate. In transfer pricing, for instance, authorities made huge additions to the incomes of various MNCs and the cases all ended up in litigation. It is after this that safe harbour rules, specifying profit margins, were introduced, but even those did not work well since the profit margins arrived at by the tax department were seen to be too high by the companies. The Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs), more in the nature of bilateral agreements, have worked better. Similarly, in the case of the anti-profiteering clause, there is the danger of lots of litigation as the authorities and the companies will have different views on whether tax benefits have been passed on. It would have helped if the FM or the revenue secretary had categorically ruled out applying the anti-profiteering clause to sectors where there are four or more players. It is still not too late to bake these into the rules.

Source: Financial Express

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'Don't rush for GSTIN; provisional ID will suffice initially'

Traders and dealers who have not completed their registration process can continue to do their business under the GST regime from July 1 using the provisional ID, a top government official said. The 15-digit provisional ID would work as the Goods and Services Taxpayer Identification Number (GSTIN) for the first initial few months, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said.  In an interview to , Adhia sought to assuage industry concerns about the GST registration process saying that businesses need not panic and need not rush for registration as the dealers and traders who have secured a provisional ID can conduct business in the new indirect regime. "You can continue to do your business using the provisional ID and quote the GSTIN in all businesses. They will not have to wait for final GSTIN to come. Even if they have not given their details fully, from July 1 they can continue their business. People should not panic," he said. Of the 80.91 lakh excise, service tax and VAT assessees, 65.6 lakh, or 81 per cent, have already migrated to the GSTN portal.  However, of this 65.6 lakh, as many as 13 lakh business have not completed the second stage of the registration process which entails the verification process. When a business registers under GST, it is given a provisional GSTIN. After that, in the second stage, the business has to log in to the GSTN portal and give details of its business, like the main place of business, additional place of business, directors and bank account details. Adhia said the government has done away with the requirement of verification of registration through digital signature, or by generating electronic verification code (EVC). "They don't have to give digital signature or e-sign it now. They can just save it and automatically an e-mail will be sent to them saying all their details are received and it is complete. Once they have saved the details, they will have no other worry. Even if they don't receive the e-mail immediately, they don't need to panic. They can still continue to do their business from July 1," Adhia said. However, the details should be given to the GSTN portal "as early as possible".  Adhia said that the registration of new businesses will start from June 25 and they will have 30 days time for registration. The window for taxpayers wanting to migrate on GSTN portal will open on the same day.  "They should not rush on the same day on June 25. We would appeal to all to keep their papers ready and do it in time," he said.  The biggest tax reform since independence, GST will be rolled out on the midnight of June 30 and make India a single market for seamless movement of goods and services. The GST subsumes 16 different levies, including excise, service tax and VAT. JD JM

Source: PTI

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Relaxation in compliance rules a welcome pragmatism from GST Council

The new goods and services tax (GST) will be officially launched on the midnight of June 30 and July 1, but businesses will rightly have two-and-a-half months to comply with the new tax system. Easing compliance is one way to improve industry’s preparedness for the transition without an official postponement of GST. The GST Council has been pragmatic to give businesses more time to file their returns in the first two months. Penalties and late fees will be waived during this period, effectively pushing the deadline to September 15. Assessees will only need to file a simplified return based on self-assessment of their tax dues and input tax credit due to them. Self-assessment will help foster compliance — this was done when the Centre first introduced service tax in 1994. Businesses have also been asked not to panic and rush for migration — they will have a month’s time to get their GST identification number. The idea is to assuage businesses, especially the smaller ones, that are ill-prepared for the transition. Companies need time to prepare their accounting systems to draw up an invoice that fully conforms to the requirements of the new tax. This is welcome pragmatism, indeed. The IT infrastructure should be fully functional. The Centre and states must also tie up all the loose ends. The GST Council, for example, has deferred the implementation of the crucial e-way bill to track intrastate and inter-state movement of goods. Reportedly, states will continue with their own system till rules are cleared for an e-way bill to be generated on the portal of GST Network (GSTN), the nodal body to which all producers and suppliers of goods and services will file their tax payments. This means trucks will be stopped at border check posts, leading to undue delays in the movement of goods —and corruption and inspector raj. The GST Council must swiftly clear the rules for an eway bill. The anti-profiteering mechanism, with a separate authority to keep a check on the pricing policy of producers, is way too cumbersome. The Competition Commission of India should be allowed to do the job instead.

Source: Economic Times

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Can an exporter buy goods without paying GST?

Confused about the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST) and what it means to your business? Send in your queries to our expert team today and watch out for the answers in this column. Mail queries to askbl@thehindu.co.in This set of questions is answered by K Vaitheeswaran, advocate and tax consultant based in Chennai.

What is the treatment for export of goods under GST? Is there a mechanism for refund? Also, is it possible to purchase goods without payment of GST as an exporter?

In the GST regime, export of goods is zero rated. There are two options.

An exporter can pay the IGST (Integrated GST) applicable on the goods at the time of export and seek a refund.

Alternatively, the goods can be exported without tax under a letter of undertaking or other prescribed procedure, and the exporter is entitled to claim refund of the taxes paid on inputs.  As on date there is no mechanism for purchase of goods without GST for the purpose of export.  However, the GST Council holds the power to notify such categories as deemed exports.

Retired persons who are unregistered under GST are appointed as retainers to carry out certain accounting functions. What would be the tax implications on the company?

The services provided by the employee to the employer in the course of employment is not considered ‘supply of services’ under the GST Law.

However, where a person does not qualify as an employee but merely provides certain services on a monthly basis, the transaction would be a service liable to GST.

Since, in your case, the retired person is not registered and the company that receives the service is registered, GST would be payable by the company under the reverse charge mechanism.

I am a trader in pharmaceutical products. The manufacturer pays the excise duty, but in the invoice, the excise duty is not reflected separately but included in the price. Can I avail input tax credit in respect of my inventory held prior to the introduction of GST?

There are elaborate provisions with procedural requirements in connection with transition benefits.  If the trader holds stock procured within a year before the appointed date and the stock is covered by invoices showing the payment of duty, then the duty amount would qualify as GST credit.  In your case, since the invoice does not reflect the excise duty, you can only claim proportionate relief under a scheme approved by the GST Council. For stock procured within a year before the appointed date, on supply, CGST (Central GST) will have to be paid. The government will give back a certain percentage of the CGST paid through the portal.  The scheme is subject to various conditions including filing requirements.

Is share brokerage liable to GST?

In case the brokerage in a year is more than the threshold limit of ₹20 lakh, GST is applicable at the general rate of 18 per cent. It is also pertinent to note that the threshold limit has to be seen by aggregating all supplies of goods and services including non-taxable and exempt supplies.

I operate an air-conditioned restaurant in Kerala. What would be the GST implications?

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court had struck down the levy of service tax on restaurants in the State on the grounds that the transaction is sale of goods and only VAT can be levied.  In the GST regime, supply of goods being food or other article for human consumption (excluding alcoholic liquor) by way of or as part of any service is treated as ‘supply of services’. The GST rate for AC and non-AC restaurants is 18 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. Restaurants with an annual turnover of up to ₹75 lakh qualify for a ‘composition scheme’ and can pay just 5 per cent GST.

Source: Business Line

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US-India trade dialogue may be discontinued

The Donald Trump administration may discontinue the much touted ‘US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue’ (S&CD) that was launched by both sides in 2015 to push forward a host of bilateral issues ranging from economic growth to rules-based global order.  The idea to initiate the S&CD was mooted during the visit of former US President Barack Obama to India in January 2015 with the objective of strengthening economic engagement by ironing out issues through a dialogue mechanism under the two tracks —strategic and commercial. It was decided that the S&CD will be held on a yearly basis taking place alternately in US and India.  “The S&CD may be undone as the Trump administration is undoing a lot of initiatives taken by the Obama administration. Officials in present administration believe that the S&CD has not yielded much tangible results,” a top official told BusinessLine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to urge the US President to continue the dialogue mechanism, albeit in a different framework, sources said. The first round of S&CD took place in September 23, 2015 in the US, followed by the second session that was held on August 30, last year in New Delhi. “The conversation between the Prime Minister and the US President itself will give the new direction and will set the priorities and perhaps it will be logical to think of further discussions and further dialogues on strategic and other bilateral matters of importance following from and flowing from that broad direction which the two leaders give,” said Gopal Baglay, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs,  During the last round of S&CD, US had stressed on the need to conclude the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) at the earliest for the benefit of American firms which are planning to invest in India. US has said it has several objections to India’s draft BIT model and have asked for negotiations to be expedited. But no negotiations have taken place since October last year. India, on the other side, pushed US for its membership at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a premium regional forum promoting trade, investment and other linkages among economies of the Asia-Pacific region. While the US has assured its support verbally, India is still in a waiting mode. As a result, the S&CD has not proved to be much useful in both these cases. The S&CD also includes other issues such as infrastructure and smart cities, ease of doing business, entrepreneurship and standards. US and India had decided to develop three cities — Ajmer, Allahabad and Visakhapatnam — but progress on this also remains lacklustre, diplomatic sources said. “India has to understand that the Trump administration believes in tangible outcomes. He needs to show that his administration generates investments and jobs. Whether the S&CD continues or not, India has to see that the US market does not shrink for us. The Prime Minister may well project his ‘Make in India’ programme as a tool to generate jobs there,” said Nandan Unnikrishnan, Vice-President, Observer Research Foundation, a think-tank.

Source: Business Line

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Global Crude oil price of Indian Basket was US$ 45.94 per bbl on 16.06.2017

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$ 45.94 per barrel (bbl) on 16.06.2017. This was higher than the price of US$ 45.60 per bbl on previous publishing day of 15.06.2017. In rupee terms, the price of Indian Basket increased to Rs. 2966.87 per bbl on 16.06.2017 as compared to Rs. 2931.34 per bbl on 15.06.2017. Rupee closed weaker at Rs. 64.59 per US$ on 16.06.2017 as compared to Rs. 64.28 per US$ on 15.06.2017. The table below gives details in this regard:

Particulars    

Unit

Price on June 16, 2017 Previous trading day i.e. 15.06.2017)                              

Crude Oil (Indian Basket)

($/bbl)

             45.94                (45.60)

(Rs/bbl)

            2966.87           (2931.34)

Exchange Rate

  (Rs/$)

             64.59                (64.28)

Source: PIB

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Heimtextil & Ambiente to showcase new season's collections

The Heimtextil India & Ambiente India, India's finest home fashion business platforms will present the first-look of the new season’s collections for the Indian market. The fairs will be held in New Delhi from June 20-22. Union textile minister Smriti Irani will inaugurate the fairs and unveil the World’s largest cushion representing ‘Fabrics of India’. India is carving a distinct place for itself in home textile and interior décor space worldwide. The country accounts for 7 per cent of global home textiles trade with Indian products gaining a significant market share in the past few years. Spanning virtually across all the categories of textiles in the world markets, the country has emerged as the second largest supplier of home textile products only after China while domestic demand is constantly on the rise. With an eye on the growing prospects of the Indian market, over 180 leading companies from India, Bangladesh, China, Korea, Nepal and Thailand will present their collections in dining, living, giving and home furnishing segments at this 3-day fair in New Delhi. Top home fashion players, including D’décor, Welspun, Reliance, Raymond, AWKenox Steel, Flair Houseware, Organic Home (Stonemen Crafts), Lifestyles 360 Degree and Gomaads are expected to launch the latest collections aimed at Diwali and upcoming festive seasons in India. The highlights at the fair include over 20 new product launches, record-breaking showcase of the world’s largest cushion made-in-India, ILA Experience Zone, an innovative concepts in interior spaces showcased at this special zone through a design face-off between product and textile designers and a special skills zone, where live demonstrations of different art forms will be performed by specially-abled children. An Interactive GST workshop for sector players to update them on the impact and policies of GST on the consumer good and textile value chain will also take place at the fair. Renowned retail buyers and purchase managers from top hospitality industry chains will visit the fair on day two which marks the Hospitality & Retail Day. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, this leading home fashion business event will open its doors on June 20.

Source: Fibre2Fashion

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Textiles Ministry undertakes cleanliness drive

The Union Textiles Ministry has organised a fortnight-long cleanliness drive dubbed Swachhtha Pakhwada to drive home the government's Clean India campaign. All 17 bodies under the Ministry, apart from jute mills and residential colonies of workers in the textile sector, undertook various activities towards cleanliness during the drive organised between May 1 and 15. Besides, students of various National Institutes of Fashion Technology centres across the country worked closely with various sections of the society and cleaned public places and decorated walls with mural paintings containing messages of cleanliness. An exhibition on waste management and organic farming was organised by Central Silk Board. Plantation drives, awareness campaigns, health and cleanliness camps, debate competitions, slogan-writing competitions, street plays, human chain, Padayatras and painting competitions were also held in various locations as part of the Pakhwada. Addressing reporters here, Minister of State for Textiles, Ajay Tamta said there is a need for the message of Swachhtha (cleanliness) to reach every citizen of the country. He said everyone needs to realise that Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India campaign) can become a success only if each one participates actively in it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Source: Business Standard

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Barmer embroidery to get a boost

Jaisalmer: Barmer is not only famous for its desert but also for its intricate and colourful embroidery. No wonder then, people in India and abroad are huge fans of this handicraft. Now, to give impetus to Barmer's embroidery Looking at the embroidery being done in almost all homes of Barmer and its demand across the globe, a programme in Shilpgram, Barmer will be organised on June 23. The idea behind this is to give a platform for its marketing. Union textile ministry officials, many companies and craftsmen from all over the district have been invited for the same. and to increase the income of craftswomen, the newly appointed district collector of Barmer, Shiv Prasad Nakate has launched a campaign. Efforts are being made that a market for embroidery is developed at Barmer's Shilpgram and cultural programmes are being organized to lure the public. Nakate inaugurated six skill development training camps at Barmer in which more than 80 women are being trained in crafts. On this occasion, he said efforts are being made to give embroidery a mega cluster. The women of Barmer have this talent and embroidery products of Barmer are famous throughout the world. To improve this art, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts with the help of Gramin Vikas Evum Chetana Sansthan has organised talent development training camp. He added that market for embroidery is being developed at Shilpgram in which any craftsman can sell his products by taking a shop. Thousands of personnel are working at Cairn Energy, Raj West and other projects in Barmer, who will be attracted to this crafts. Also there are a large number of BSF, Air Force and Army officers living here, hence there is huge scope for promotion of embroidery products. To attract the public at Shilpgram, cultural events from different states will be organised. The collector said that to promote embroidery, a huge programme will be organised on June 23 at Shilpgram in which many experts from India and abroad, officers from central government and officers from companies involved in corporate social responsibility will participate. Currently women in every household are associated with the craft of embroidery, printing and dyeing. With small savings, they are supporting their families and becoming self-dependent. Earlier women used to do embroidery as pastime, but today it has become means for employment. There are women in politics now, but despite this they have kept the craft alive. Many years ago, when people came here from Sindh (now in Pakistan) they brought this craft with them, which has become famous world over today.

Source: Times of India

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Woven traditions

Irshad Ahmed displaying a shawl with Kashida work. The ongoing Weaves exhibition showcased the diversity of weaves in the country from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu  “Chinar trees are ingrained in our culture. It’s like a part of our identity” says Irshad Ahmed from Kashmir. No wonder, the motif was everywhere — from embroidery patterns in his shawls to the name of his store at the ongoing Weaves exhibition. Chinar Emporium is lined with traditional Kashida embroidered saris, kurtis, Kani and Pashmina shawls and stoles, both pure woollen and silk blends. “Kashida is our traditional needlework. It takes a lot of time and patience to finish a piece,” he says, showing me one. A Kani stole, famous for its intricate design, takes around six months to complete while a shawl needs around 12 months. “It needs a lot of patience and dedication to do Kani weaving. The technique is difficult.” The wool used to make Pashmina shawls is procured from Kashmir and Ladakh. “It is collected from the neck of a goat. That’s why it’s so soft and warm,” he explains. Ahmad took up weaving as a part of his family tradition. “My parents did this and now it is me.” He believes that he is bringing a part of their ancient tradition to the current generation. “I feel good. Staying close to my culture makes me happy.” The price range in his stall begins from ₹1500 and goes up to ₹15000. Akhil Goot from Sameer Chikan, Lucknow, sells chikan-embroidered saris, palazzos, shawls, kurtas and suites in rayon, cotton and georgette. “It takes about a month for a chikan kurta to be made. Pastel colours are always a favourite.” He unfolds a deep red georgette kurta with intricate floral work. “This costs ₹1700 and is all hand embroidered. Look at the work,” he says. Here the price range is from ₹1500-3500. Another stall showcases an array of bedsheets in typical Rajasthani designs. It uses handblock prints in vegetable colours. “People like these. Kalamkari and indigo prints are evergreen hits,” says Dheeraj Kumar, who manages the stall. A beautiful green double bedsheet with the design of a royal parade caught my attention. “This is unique. See the prints — the elephants and the kings. It shows a part of our history.” Saris abound at the Maa Manasa Handloom from West Bengal. Linen, Matka silk, muslin, Dhakai jamdani and Khadi saris in vibrant colours caught one’s attention. The exhibition includes artisans from all over India and offers an insight into the the cultural and aesthetic specialities of different regions.

What When and where The exhibition features handloom cotton and silk sarees, kurtas, suits, skirts, pants, shawls, bedsheets and home furnishings. On today from 11.00 am to 9.00 pm at Suguna Kalyana Mandapam, Avanashi Road

Source: The Hindu

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Birla Cellulose Fibers earn USDA biobased certification

“We applaud Grasim Industries Ltd. for earning the USDA Certified Biobased Product label,” said USDA BioPreferred Program, Kate Lewis. “Products from Grasim Industries Ltd. are contributing to an ever expanding marketplace that adds value to renewable agriculture commodities, creates jobs in rural communities, and decreases our reliance on petroleum.” Third-party verification for a product’s biobased content is administered through the USDA BioPreferred Program. One of the goals of the BioPreferred Program is to increase the development, purchase and use of biobased products.

The USDA Certified Biobased Product label displays a product’s biobased content, which is the portion of a product that comes from a renewable source, such as plant, animal, marine, or forestry feedstocks. Utilizing renewable, biobased materials displaces the need for non-renewable petroleum based chemicals. Biobased products, through petroleum displacement, have played an increasingly important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that exacerbate global climate change. Biobased products are cost-comparative, readily available, and perform as well as or better than their conventional counterparts. Speaking on the occasion Managing Director of Grasim Industries Ltd., Dilip Gaur, said “The USDA Biobased certification is another milestone reached in our Sustainability Journey& strengthening our belief that Sustainability is at the core of our business strategy.” Chief Marketing Officer, of Birla Cellulose, Rajeev Gopal further said, “This certification reconfirms the natural origin of our products & will enhance the confidence of the value chain players in delivering biobased products.”

Source: India Retail Bureau

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Global Textile Raw Material Price 2017-06-19

Item

Price

Unit

Fluctuation

Date

PSF

1113.86

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

VSF

2180.72

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

ASF

2246.81

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Polyester POY

1130.75

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Nylon FDY

2672.67

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

40D Spandex

5213.18

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Polyester DTY

2525.82

USD/Ton

0.58%

6/19/2017

Nylon POY

2408.34

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Acrylic Top 3D

1409.76

USD/Ton

1.05%

6/19/2017

Polyester FDY

2863.58

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Nylon DTY

5815.26

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

Viscose Long Filament

1373.05

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

30S Spun Rayon Yarn

2848.89

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

32S Polyester Yarn

1703.46

USD/Ton

0.87%

6/19/2017

45S T/C Yarn

2702.04

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

40S Rayon Yarn

2995.74

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

T/R Yarn 65/35 32S

2305.55

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

45S Polyester Yarn

1835.63

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

T/C Yarn 65/35 32S

2276.18

USD/Ton

0%

6/19/2017

10S Denim Fabric

1.36

USD/Meter

0%

6/19/2017

32S Twill Fabric

0.85

USD/Meter

0%

6/19/2017

40S Combed Poplin

1.19

USD/Meter

0%

6/19/2017

30S Rayon Fabric

0.66

USD/Meter

0%

6/19/2017

45S T/C Fabric

0.67

USD/Meter

0%

6/19/2017

Source: Global Textiles

Note: The above prices are Chinese Price (1 CNY = 0.14685 USD dtd. 19/06/2017). 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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China’s 13th Five-year Plan spurs growth

This week’s China International Nonwovens Expo & Forum  (CINE  supported by Techtextil) is  like the technical textiles  industry in China as a whole  continuing to benefit from the  government’s 13th Five-year Plan which has boosted production  capacity and demand for nonwoven products in the country.  The plan’s focus on industry upgrading has led to an increase in capacity with output estimated to reach 7 million tons in 2020 up from 5.35 million in 2016. Meanwhile demand has come from a number of areas including construction and infrastructure environmental protection healthcare and elderly care  first aid and  public safety  and military-civilian integration in particular.  The Expo portion of CINE will feature over 100 exhibitors of nonwovens and nonwoven products machinery and ancillaries for nonwovens and raw materials and chemicals for nonwovens.  This year the Forum section of the event is comprised of the 6th China International Nonwovens Conference which is held on 22  June.  The China International Nonwovens Expo & Forum is  scheduled to take place at Shanghai Mart this week from 21 – 23  June 2017  LEADING DOMESTIC  PRODUCERS TO PARTAKE IN EXPO  As part of its industry upgrading efforts  the Chinese  government is encouraging more innovation  which the nonwovens  industry in particular is carrying out energetically. One exhibitor Tiandingfeng Nonwovens has developed a new spun bond needle punched geotextile made of polypropylene that is lighter and has  better alkali resistance than polyester geotextiles. This will be produced on a new production line composed of the latest Dilo  machinery. Another participant Dalian Huayang New Materials Technology already has 53 patents for its products which include high-strength polyester filament fabric and spunbond polyester fabric for geotextile use. When it comes to coating products exhibitor Shanghai Tianyang Hotmelt Adhesive is one of the leaders in China. They are one of the few producers in the country that can produce hot-melt plastic coating products as wide as 3 metres and weighing only 6 grams per sqm.  Production capacity is often a reason to source in China and a number of exhibitors at CINE are leaders in this respect in their respective product sectors. Hunan Fuerkang Medical Materials can  produce 7  000 tons of degreasing cotton for medical use annually  while Tianjin Teda Filters has the same capacity for its meltblown  nonwoven products for filtration use.  As well as the latest innovations on offer from exhibitors some of the industry’s biggest names are taking part this week.  Textile manufacturing in China tends to take place in clusters  and  when it comes to nonwovens for medical and hygiene use  Nanhai  district in Foshan city  Guangdong  is an industry leader. Within  this cluster  Foshan Nanhai Beautiful Nonwoven is at the forefront  with its annual output of 40  000 tons which is exported to Europe  North America and Southeast Asia.  6TH CHINA INTERNATIONAL  NONWOVENS CONFERENCE HELD CONCURRENTLY  A wide range of industry players including manufacturers  end-users  associations  academics and media will gather for the  6th China International Nonwovens Conference  held on 22 June  as part of the CINE Forum section. Split into three streams the first will focus on the current situation and trends in the global nonwovens market followed by two concurrent sessions: market developments and innovations of nonwovens for the medical and hygiene industry  and innovations and applications for durable  nonwovens.  China International Nonwovens Expo & Forum (CINE – supported by Techtextil) is organised by the Sub-Council of Textile Industry CCPIT the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics  Industry (INDA)  and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.

Source: Tecoya Trend

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U.S. textile makers look for a revival

After decades of losing market share to imports, U.S. textile and fiber makers say their business is finally turning around. At the March meeting of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), a group representing domestic textile manufacturers, outgoing chairperson Robert H. Chapman III outlined the reasons why. “Thanks to the new Trump policy dynamic,” he said, “the next 12 months represent the best opportunity in a generation to reorient U.S. manufacturing policy, level the playing field, and usher in a new era of growth for U.S. textile makers.” The good news for the U.S. textile industry is that, according to NCTO, shipments of textiles and apparel rose to $74.4 billion last year, an 11% increase since 2009, when the industry hit bottom during the economic slowdown. Textile makers also say they have gained competitiveness over the past seven years through technology advances, automation, and productivity improvements.

Companies including the yarn maker Unifi, antimicrobial fabric developer PurThread Technologies, waterless fabric finishing firm APJeT, and smart fabric developer BeBop Sensors have all developed value-added product niches. Even fiber makers such as Eastman Chemical have come out with new fiber variants that go well beyond the usual commodity offerings. Overseas textile makers are also recognizing the U.S. as a vibrant investment location with abundant raw materials, cheap energy, and new policies that favor local manufacturers. For instance, China’s Keer Group recently completed a $218 million cotton yarn spinning plant in South Carolina. Another Chinese firm, Sun Fiber, recently started up a plant in the same state to make polyester fiberfill from recycled bottles. But the bad news is that economic forces still favor textile imports. Annual U.S. textile and apparel imports exceed $125 billion, according to the Department of Commerce. China is the largest source of imported textiles, followed by Vietnam and India. Whereas the U.S. was once a leader in synthetic fiber production, it now lags. Out of the 45 million metric tons of polyester fiber produced globally last year, about 3% was made in the U.S., says Bob Merrill, a polymer expert at the consulting firm IHS Markit. “A lot of great work is going on in the U.S. textile industry,” Merrill says. But he asks, “Are these innovations going to change the textile road map, or will they just be specialty advances without a dramatic impact on fiber production?” And then too, U.S. textile mill employment continues to slip. Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the number of workers in the category was down 4% in May from a year ago. Lloyd Wood, an NCTO spokesperson, acknowledges that job losses due to imports from China and other Asian countries have been severe since the mid-1990s. Yet the U.S. industry has stabilized and is now competitive, he argues. Advances in automation are also costing jobs, Wood says. Such losses may continue because of technology from firms such as SoftWear Automation. The Atlanta-based company is developing what it calls Sewbots, which could replace human sewing machine operators. Home goods and automotive textile makers are already employing the robotic machinery, the firm says. But the industry’s productivity drive means that the demand for textile technical experts has never been higher, according to David Hinks, dean of the North Carolina State University College of Textiles. “We had a graduating class of 250 this year, the largest ever in our 118-year history,” he says. Textile makers are eagerly hiring school graduates, who include management experts, polymer chemists, and textile dye specialists, Hinks says. Three months after graduation, about 90% of graduates find jobs in the industry, he notes. NCSUCT also collaborates with textile industry companies to develop new technology. Among the firms that worked with the school is PurThread, a developer of antimicrobial yarn technology. With help from the school and others, PurThread developed a method to introduce silver salts into polyester resin before it is extruded into a fiber. Founded in 1999, PurThread buys its Environmental Protection Agency-registered silver ingredient from Eastman Kodak, the former photographic film giant, says Lisa Grimes, PurThread’s chief executive officer. A target market is soldiers who may have to wear clothing in the field for an extended period of time. Fashionistas may also benefit. The antimicrobial threads can maintain the new look of denim longer by avoiding frequent washing, Grimes says. Other U.S. firms are also introducing fiber and yarn additives that provide special attributes. Once the additives go into the polyester and nylon yarns that Unifi extrudes, “they’re in the fabric for life,” says Jay Hertwig, a vice president. Additives in Unifi’s yarns include phosphorus-based flame retardants. Polyester curtains containing the additive will still melt in a fire, but they won’t ignite and encourage flame spread. Other Unifi yarns contain additives that repel water and protect fabric from the degrading effects of ultraviolet light. In addition to using virgin polymers to produce its yarns, Unifi has developed a line of fibers, sold under the Repreve name, made from recycled polyester bottles. The company operates its own recycling center that converts bottles into polyester chips. A chemical tracer added to the polyester allows customers to verify the recycled content. New technology is also coming to textile finishing. Like PurThread, APJeT developed its technology at NCSUCT. The firm’s atmospheric pressure plasma jet technology, based on know-how from Los Alamos National Laboratory, uses a blend of gases to apply water-repellent, fire-retardant, and soil- and stain-resistant fabric finishes. APJeT claims that its process completely eliminates the large amounts of water necessary to finish most textiles. It also says the process uses only 10% of the chemicals needed in traditional fabric finishing. Also infusing new life into textile fibers are traditional fiber makers. In January, Eastman Chemical launched a new acetate fiber, dubbed Naia, made with wood pulp “derived exclusively from sustainably managed and certified forests.” And last year, in partnership with Unifi, Eastman launched Avra fibers, made by extruding polyester into fibers too thin to be woven or knitted on their own. The fibers are held together by a polymer that is washed away after the fabric is made. Sports apparel made with Avra has a silky feel and is able to wick moisture away from the skin, Eastman says. Beyond new fibers and yarns, some innovators are looking to embed textiles with sensors to create “smart fabric.” Keith McMillen, who heads BeBop Sensors in California, explains that his firm does this by chemically treating fabric with conductive polymer coatings. When a user stretches or puts pressure on the fabric sensors, current flow is affected, McMillen says. Printed electronic traces bring signals from the sensors to a computer chip that can measure a runner’s gait, monitor a wearer’s heart rate, or sense a person’s body temperature. BeBop recently introduced a control glove for virtual-reality enthusiasts. Equipped with haptic sensors, the glove allows users to “feel” objects virtually when playing computer games. Also on the drawing board are car seat sensors linked to airbag deployment systems to better protect occupants in case of a crash, McMillen says. “The name of the game for U.S. producers is product differentiation,” IHS Markit’s Merrill observes of the textile industry today. Specialized products could eventually make a dramatic difference for U.S. fiber and fabric output, Merrill says. But in his view, that isn’t likely to happen for another decade or more.

Source: Chemical & Engineering News

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Pakistan : Aptma announces to shut mills in protest

LAHORE/islamabad - All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has decided to keep all the mills shut next week in protest, as the government is not providing the incentives that were promised to the industrialists. APTMA Chairman Aamir Fiaz expressed his views in a press conference and said the trade deficit has reached the highest level in country’s history due to poor policies of the government and continuous increase in production costs. Gohar Ejaz, Aptma Vice Chairman Ali Pervez and Aptma Punjab Chairman Syed Ali Ahsan were also present along with him. The Aptma chairman said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is not fulfilling the promises that were made with the industrialists. He said the volume of export was more than $25 billion in 2013 when the incumbent government took charge, but now it has reduced to less than $20 billion. Fiaz said that PM Nawaz had promised to pay funds worth Rs180 billion, but Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has allocated only Rs4 billion in the budget for fiscal year 2017-18. He said the industrialists are being asked to increase the exports without giving them the incentives. He further added that it was made clear in the previous year that the trade deficit would cross $30 billion, but the government did nothing expect taking loans that the nation will pay with interest. He said progress cannot be made without increasing exports, and exports cannot be increased just by announcements. The Aptma chairman demanded that the government should act upon the policy that it had announced. He said Rs200 billion of export industry have been held by the government, and industry will not run until they are paid. He said Dar, like every year, promised to pay the funds, but did not do it. After the press conference, a protest was raised outside the Aptma House, and slogans were raised to get the demands fulfilled by setting fabric and thread on fire. Aptma to shift head office to capital to pressurise govt Staff reporter adds: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has decided to shift its head office to Islamabad to exert more pressure on government to meet its demands. According to the Aptma officials, the shifting will be completed in short span of time. The association is also planning to go on protest after Eid to pressurise the government to implement the Rs180 billion export growth package announced in January 2017.  Pakistan’s textile exports fell 0.92 percent on year-on-year basis to $10.29 billion in the first 10 months (July-April) of the current financial year. Addressing demands of the sector, the government has increased turnover tax from 1 percent to 1.25 percent in the federal budget for 2017-18. But, Aptma is asking for more – a lot more from what government is providing. It wants to implement all promises government made during last couple of years. One of the major demands is abolishing government’s policy of withholding sales tax refund claims of exporters as the delay is deadly for the millers who take loans from bank on high markups. According to the association’s official, Yasin Siddique, the government has to clear the tax refunds worth around Rs300 billion. The millers has pointed out that Pakistan’s trade deficit was swelling to $32 billion with imports rising to $52 billion compared to exports of less than $20 billion in the current financial year. It is worth mentioning that the millers are pointing out that none of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects was export-specific, which should be a cause for concern because Pakistan’s imports were rising while exports were on the wane. Many believe CPEC will have a negative impact on the country’s local industry and especially textiles. With CPEC the cost of foreign exporters will fall further and they would sell their product at cheaper price, while the Pakistani products would remain costlier due to higher cost of doing business. According to officials, due to high prices of electricity Pakistani products are already costlier in the international market. The war between government and textile millers is not new, the government side declares textile millers a ‘mafia’, who did not pay their taxes, while millers allege government of making unfriendly policies for the ‘vested interest’.

Source: The Nation

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Bangladesh : Gloomy Eid sales worry handloom weavers in Pabna

Weavers of two of the biggest handloom fabric producing districts are interpreting the ongoing lower-than-expected sales as a sign that they would miss their Eid target to some extent. Ten upazilas of Pabna and Sirajganj are home to some 4.5 lakh looms, powered by both machine and hand, meeting some 70 to 75 percent of the traditional textile's demand in the country. The weavers aim to produce 5.5 to 6 crore pieces of hand-woven garments, mainly lungis and saris, this month, said Md Haidar Ali, vice-president of Bangladesh Handloom and Power Loom Owners Association. Eid accounts for about half of their yearly sales. For an average crafter, weekly sales leading up to the festival reach 300 to 400 pieces, while it is 100 to 150 pieces in other occasions. However, sales have not kept up with expectations and with Eid-ul-Fitr around a week away, the artisans are pondering on ways to repay moneylenders, on whom they heavily depend on. Md Sajahan Ali of Dogasi Kulunia village said about a quarter of his stock of lungis remained unsold last week and if the trend continued, he would find it difficult to pay wages to his workers. Most production take place in households with clusters of five to 15 looms while there are a number of larger units housing some 100 to 150 looms. “I have eight looms in my factory but I have retained just four workers,” said Md Hafizul Islam, a sari weaver of the village. “Some 30 to 40 pieces of saris were produced every day last year but this year I am producing 15 to 20 pieces due to poor demand,” he said. The twice-weekly rural markets in Shahzadpur and Ataikula are now open every day. Traders say their target group is low-income families who might not have enough cash in hand. Moreover, product prices have increased by 10 to 15 percent for a rise in cost of raw materials, which, the traders say, might also be responsible for the slow sales.

Source: The Daily Star

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USA : West Texas off to good start with new herbicide technology

Most farmers are following a system that does not depend only on dicamba and Roundup for total weed control. “They are using a yellow, maybe a pre-emergence material. If folks started clean, weed control looks good.” Peter Dotray talks weed control at a field day last year. Early estimates indicated West Texas cotton farmers would plant as much as 60 percent of their acreage in XtendFlex cotton varieties. That estimate may have been low, says Peter Dotray, Texas AgriLife Extension weed and herbicides specialist, Lubbock. “I think 70 percent could be closer,” Dotray says. “We expect to see a lot of dicamba (ExtendiMax, the new formulation from Monsanto) used. “We’re just getting started,” he adds. “I sprayed for the first time last week, and farmers are just beginning to spray, but from what I’ve heard so far, they have been pleased with the result.” He recalls that West Texas cotton farmers “moved into resistant weed problems pretty fast,” and had been seeing once-susceptible weeds survive herbicide applications. “After spraying (new formulation) dicamba, they are seeing weeds go down.” Success, he says, depends on application timing and following the label. “I’ve heard about some farmers in other parts of the state planting into weedy fields and then spraying 10-inch to 12-inch weeds. Control has not been as good, and they are not pleased. But we have to be timely to be effective. The farmers who have sprayed on time have been pleased.” He says a few farmers have expressed surprise at phytotoxicity from XtendiMax. “It will speckle cotton leaves a little, and some growers may be a little concerned.” It’s not surprising, he says. Dotray says he’s heard no reports of drift issues, but cautions that the spray season has just begun. “I think most of our growers started clean, planted in pretty clean ground.”

A SYSTEMS APPROACH

Most also are following a system that does not depend only on dicamba and Roundup for total weed control. “They are using a yellow, maybe a pre-emergence material. If folks started clean, weed control looks good.” He adds that the issues with crop damage in the Mid-South are not evident so far in Texas. “Farmers have to look at the label, pay attention to nozzle selection, ground speed, wind, and buffers, among other precautions,” he says. “If we use the technology as we are supposed to, we think the outcome will be positive.” Battling wind, however, has been worrisome. “It has been hot, dry, and windy,” he says. “We’ve seen some crop damage that looks like thrips, but we see no thrips.” Heat may be stressing young plants. Hail has also caused some damage, destroyed fields in some locations, and some fields look “just a little beat up.”

But weed control is starting out on a positive note with new technology going into the fields. Dotray says producers who use XtendiMax or Enlist Duo (new 2,4-D formulation) and follow the labels should be pleased with the outcome.

Source: Southwest Farm Press

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Cotton USA Western Hemisphere fair ends successfully

The Cotton USA Western Hemisphere sourcing fair held in Cancun, Mexico, from June 12 to 14, 2017 to identify business partners for sourcing US cotton products, by the Cotton USA, which promotes US cotton fibre and manufactured cotton products, ended successfully. The Cotton USA event is an industry gathering for the cotton textile supply chain. The event brought together 11 US mills, 19 retailers/brands from the US, Canada, Latin America, and Europe and 46 apparel manufacturing companies from Colombia, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. The sourcing fair included a conference session with a panel of experts who addressed “US Cotton Fibre - A Closer Look” and gave a trade policy update. Following the seminar, the participating US mills and retailers conducted about 750 private meetings in two days with Central American, Mexican and Andean textile and apparel executives to discuss business opportunities. The US mills that participated in the fair were Antex Knitting Mills, Buhler Quality Yarns, Corp, CAP Yarns, CCW, Cotswold Industries, Contempora Fabrics, Frontier Spinning Mills, Hamrick Mills, Inc., Parkdale, Swisstex Direct, and Zagis US. The retailers and brands that attended were El Corte Ingles, Full Beauty Brands, Gander Outdoor, Hermeco, S.A., J. Crew, Levi, Liverpool, Macy’s, PVH, Tiendas por Departamento Ripley, S.A., Under Armour, and VF Sourcing Latin America.

Source: Fibre2Fashion

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