Incentive to promote Digital Transactions:
2. Imposition of Sugar Cess over and above 5% GST and reduction in GST rate on ethanol:
Keeping in view the record production of sugar in the current sugar season, and consequent depressed sugar prices and build-up of sugarcane arrears, the Council discussed the issue of imposition of sugar cess and reduction in GST rate on ethanol in great detail. The council has recommended for setting up of a Group of Ministers from State Governments to look into the proposal and make recommendations, within two weeks, keeping in mind the views expressed in GST Council in this regard.
Source: PIB
GST Council today in its 27th meeting approved principles for filing of new return design based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on IT simplification. The key elements of the new return design are as follows –
During this stage 2, the dealer will be constantly fed with information about gap between credit available to them as per invoices uploaded by their sellers and the provisional credit being claimed by them. After 6 months of this phase 2, the facility of provisional credit will get withdrawn and input tax credit will only be limited to the invoices uploaded by the sellers from whom the dealer has purchased goods.
Content of the return and implementation: Return shall be simplified also by reducing the content/information required to be filled in the return. The details of the design of the return form, business process and legal changes would be worked out by the law committee based on these principles. Government is keen to introduce the simplified return design at the earliest to reduce the compliance burden on the trade in keeping with the philosophy of ease of doing business.
Source: PIB
The Goods and Services Tax Network - Special Purpose Vehicle (GSTN-SPV) will cease to be a private company and morph into a 100 per cent government owned entity. The GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, approved a proposal for the conversion at its 27th meeting here on Friday. GSTN is the IT backbone of the unified indirect tax system. Currently, the Centre and State Governments hold 24.5 per cent stake each in GSTN; non-governmental institutions hold the other 51 per cent. These institutions include HDFC, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, NSE Strategic Investment Co and LIC Housing Finance Ltd. Following the GSTN’s metamorphosis, the Centre will hold 50 per cent, and the remaining stake will be held by States governments on a pro rata basis. A Finance Ministry statement said the GST Council decided that the entire 51 per cent stake held by the non-governmental institutions in GSTN — amounting to ₹5.1 crore — will be acquired equally by the Centre and the States governments.
Staff recruitment
The GSTN board will be allowed to retain the existing staff on the same terms for five years, the statement added. It will also have the flexibility to hire people on contract on terms similar to those it uses at present to hire regular employees. GSTN was created as a private limited, not-for-profit company under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, by the government on March 28, 2013 to provide shared IT infrastructure and services to the Centre and the State governments, taxpayers and other stakeholders for the implementation of the GST. Although the government is not themajority equity holder in the company, GSTN, through various mechanisms, is under the strategic control of the Centre.
IT-driven processes
The majority of the GST processes including registration, filing of returns, payment of taxes and processing of refunds is IT-driven GSTN handles the invoice data of lakhs of business entities, including data on exports and imports. Considering its functions, the GST Council felt it ought to be converted into a fully government-owned company. Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said a formal process for conversion will be placed before the Union Cabinet.
Source: Business Line
Weavers in Surat want the formation of an Anti-Profiteering Authority under Goods and Services Tax (GST). They claimed that their businesses are not passing the benefits of a reduced tax on them in absence of such an authority, thereby making their units unviable. As the GST regime got rolled out on July 1, 2017, polyester yarn was subjected to 18% GST. Later, after a series of representations, the tax was reduced to 12%. Spinners manufacture yarns and sell them to weavers, who claim that the benefit of reduced tax has not been passed on to them. There is a provision in GST that if the tax burden on the product is lowered, the seller has to pass on the benefit to the buyer. On the other hand, the cost of yarn has risen by Rs 100-150 per kg or about 35% in past four months. Most of the rise is in just over a month, said Mayur Golwala, committee member of Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association (FOGWA). The central government had earlier categorically stated that if the benefit of reduced taxation is not passed on to the buyer, actions can be taken against the sellers under Anti Profiteering Provisions. But for that Anti Profiteering Authority needs to be created, which is not created so far.
Source: Daily News & Analysis
AHMEDABAD: Union commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday said that there was a need to promote the textile industry to give a boost to the manufacturing sector, whose contribution to the country‘s GDP is just 16 per cent. Contribution of manufacturing sector is only 16 per cent to our economy. It is also a fact that the textile sector is a major player in that contribution. But when only 16 per cent of our GDP comes from manufacturing, it is not enough for a sustainable economy. Thus, it is necessary to scale up that contribution, said Prabhu at the inaugural ceremony of a threeday event titled Farm to Fashion - Indian Textile Global Summit 2018‘. The minister said that he was holding talks with various countries to explore new markets for Indian fabrics, garments and apparel in order to boost exports. He also said that the industry was working at a sub-optimal level, for its overdependence on the European Union and the US for exports. We mainly export to the US and Europe. And, when the season goes away in those markets, we do not have enough orders, as we don‘t have markets in other parts of the world, the minister said, adding that things can change if they get orders from new markets. We are talking to Latin American countries to explore new markets for our products. We are also working on making khadi a globally accepted garment. We are also exploring Australia as a potential market, Prabhu said. Despite the government‘s efforts, India‘s exports of textile and apparel saw a marked decline of 4 per cent to Rs 2.28 lakh crore in fiscal 2018 as compared to Rs 2.38 lakh crore reported in the previous fiscal, as per data provided by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry. Experts say that GST implementation and global competition is affecting India‘s textile and apparel industry. Prabhu added that the Centre was encouraging foreign direct investment in the textile sector, which according to Prabhu has the potential to create millions of jobs.
Source: New Indian Express
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, along with Union Minister of Commerce and Industries, Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister of State – Agriculture, Parshottam Rupala, inaugurated Farm to Fashion: Indian Textile Global Summit-2018 in Ahmedabad on Friday. The three-day summit is organised by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries along with Maskati Cloth Merchants Association (MCMA). During the inauguration ceremony, CM Rupani said, “The Garment Policy-2017 and the subsidy for apparel park will lead a new path in the garment industry in Gujarat. It is important to create an entire value-chain for the textile industry in the state, so that farmer producing cotton does not have to wait for exports and his produce gets consumed in the state itself.” CM also hailed the theme of ‘Farm to Fashion’ and said it will go a long way in shaping the future of textile industry. Echoing a similar view, Prabhu also emphasised on coming up with a proper ecosystem in the state so that the industry can generate more employment. He also shared the government’s plans to push Khadi as a globally accepted fabric. “We want to promote Khadi as a globally accepted fibre and are making focused efforts towards this. We have asked the Indian Institutes of Fashion Technology (IIFT) to work on a new course on this, which will be launched soon. Side by side, we are also exploring international markets for Khadi including Australia and South Africa. We also want to encourage FDI in this segment,” said Prabhu. Highlighting the importance of farmers as one of the keys of the textile value-chain, Rupala, said, “The idea to consider farming as an economic activity and link it with the market for better finances was first thought by Prime Minister Modi and there have been sincere efforts put up to ensure that the income of the farmers gets doubled the results of which are gradually seen.”
Source: The Economic Times
NEW YORK: India tops the list of the fastest growing economies in the world for the coming decade and is projected to grow at 7.9 per cent annually, ahead of China and the US, according to a Harvard University report. The Centre for International Development (CID) at Harvard University said in new growth projections yesterday that countries that have diversified their economies into more complex sectors, like India and Vietnam, are those that will grow the fastest in the coming decade. "India tops the list as the fastest growing country for the coming decade, at 7.9 per cent annually, in the economic complexity growth projections. India has made inroads in diversifying its export base to include more complex sectors, such as chemicals, vehicles, and certain electronics," the report said. It said that India's productive capabilities far exceed expectations for its current income level, which contributes to the projection of rapid growth for the coming decade. The researchers also find India ranks the best on the criteria termed the Complexity Opportunity Index (COI), which measures how easy it is to redeploy existing knowhow to enter new complex products. "India's existing capabilities have not only diversified its exports, but also allow for easy redeployment into related products that depend on those capabilities, making further diversification relatively easy," it said. China is projected to grow at 4.9 per cent annually to 2026, the US three per cent and France 3.5 per cent. The top ranking in COI means India has many "unrealised opportunities" to diversify into related, high-value sectors to continue to drive productivity growth and job creation. "Up to now, that potential remains unrealized, however, as India's complexity has not changed over the past decade. The rapid growth that is predicted is effectively capitalizing on previous gains made in new chemical, vehicle and electronics exports are highly concentrated in specific localities of the subcontinent. "Whether that knowhow can be disseminated into new areas of India will in part determine whether rapid growth can be sustained in the long-term," it said. Director of CID, professor at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the leading researcher of The Atlas of Economic Complexity, Ricardo Hausmann said that Southeast Asia continues to dominate the global growth landscape, driven by the diversification of economies into complex manufacturing, but the leading countries have shifted within the region, with the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand poised to lead growth in the coming decade. Uganda comes second on the list of the fastest growing economies to 2026, predicted to grow at 7.5 per cent annually. The growth projections are based on economic complexity, a single measure of each country's economy which captures the diversity and sophistication of the productive capabilities embedded in a country's exports. The report further noted that after a decade of growth driven by record oil and commodity prices, the researchers find a landscape that has shifted in favor of more diversified economies. In sub-Saharan Africa, growth is shifting eastward from commodity-driven West Africa to East Africa, with Uganda, Tanzania (4th), and Kenya (10th) in the top 10 predicted fastest growing countries globally for the coming decade. The researchers further point out that many low-income countries, including Bangladesh, Venezuela, and Angola have failed to diversify their knowhow and face low growth prospects. "Others like India, Turkey, and the Philippines have successfully added productive capabilities to enter new sectors and will drive growth over the coming decade," said Sebastian Bustos, a lead CID researcher in trade and economic complexity methods.
Source: The Economic Times
Monsanto wanted to charge a higher rate of trait fee under the sub-licence given to Indian companies to use its seed technology. US-based agro major Monsanto Technology today moved the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court order dismissing its plea to enforce the patent for its BT cotton seeds in India. An apex court bench comprising justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Abhay Manohar Sapre will take up the matter on May 7. The firm moved the apex court against the April 11 order by which its plea was dismissed by the high court, which had partially allowed the counter-claims of three Indian seed companies that Monsanto does not have a patent for its BT cotton seeds, a genetically modified variant which resist bollworms. The court had also upheld the decision of a single judge on the issue of trait fee payable to Monsanto by the companies Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd, Prabhat Agri Biotech Ltd and Pravardhan Seeds Private Ltd under the sub-licence with them. The single judge had said that the Indian companies would pay trait fees to Monsanto according to government-set rates. Monsanto wanted to charge a higher rate of trait fee under the sub-licence given to Indian companies to use its seed technology. Both sides had challenged the single judge's order before the division bench.
Source: The New Indian Express
AHMEDABAD: Union minister of commerce and industries, Suresh Prabhu, said that the government is making efforts to promote khadi as a globally accepted fabric. Prabhu was in Ahmedabad on Friday to inaugurate Farm to Fashion – Indian Textile Global Summit 2018‘, organized by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Maskati Cloth Market Mahajan (MCMM). We want to promote khadi as a globally accepted fibre and are making focused efforts towards this. We have asked the Indian Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) to work on a new course on this, which will be launched soon. Side by side, we are also exploring international markets for khadi including Australia and South Africa. We also want to encourage FDI in this segment, said Prabhu. He also emphasized on creating an entire ecosystem for textile industry to flourish. Gujarat being the largest cotton producing state, must create an ecosystem, which includes weavers, textile processors, manufacturers and most importantly, farmers who are at the root of the industry, he added. CM Vijay Rupani, who was also present at the inauguration of the summit, emphasized the need to create a complete textile value chain in Gujarat. Textile and apparels is one of the largest job-creating sectors in the state and we are ready to support the industry with an open mind. Being the largest cotton producer and exporter, the industry should now focus on completing the entire value chain for better employment opportunities as well as help farmers boost their income, he said. Rupani also spoke of the textile policy which had been introduced in the state and has given a major boost to the industry. Industry stakeholders, too, said there was need for a comprehensive textile policy. On the lines of Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation, we want the government to consider one nation, one textile policy, which will benefit the industry significantly, said Shailesh Patwari, president, GCCI. GCCI and MCMM submitted a white paper to the Union minister, comprising recommendations for forming a single textile policy for the country on the lines of One Nation One Policy‘. Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare, Parshottam Rupala, lauded the summit‘s focus on the farming sector. It is time we reconsider the importance of farmers, being the most important link in the fashion value chain. Contract farming and cooperative model in agriculture define the way forward, Rupala said.
Source: Times of India
More than 1,600 people from Tripura have been recruited by textile mills here at a recent job fair held in the north eastern state as part of efforts by industry apex body SIMA to overcome labour shortage and high attrition. In a release here today, the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA) also appreciated the efforts taken by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for his involvement in the employment fair and recruitment process. SIMA Chairman P Nataraj said the job fair was conducted by the Tripura government in Agartala from April 25-26 in response to the association's recent communication to the labour departments of various states, including those in the North-East. The SIMA had petitioned the states for help in direct recruitment of workers as there was shortage of workers and high job attrition rate at a time when the textile industry was witnessing exponential growth. Around 4,000 unemployed youths from Tripura attended the fair and eight mills from Tamil Nadu recruited 1,635 candidates, including 264 women, it added. Nataraj also thanked senior officials Tripura for arranging a train to bring the recruits to Tamil Nadu. The association would soon come out with guidelines for the migrant workers in order to help them meet all the legal and social requirements in Tamil Nadu, the release added. The state directly employs over 60 lakh people and depends on migrant workers working in major clusters like Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul, which account for 30-90 per cent of the workforce, the release added.
Source: Business Standard
Amazon India expanding its footprint in India‘s Handloom Industry has now added pure handloom and handicraft items of Weavesmart an online handloom store supported by the Government of India on its platform. One of the largest online retail firms said the move will facilitate more than 3,000 plus weavers, associated with Weavesmart, an Emarketing Partner‘of the Ministry of Textiles, to expand their handloom produce. Weavesmart stores more than 20,000 products which will now be made available to millions of Amazon customers, as per the media statement. On the partnership, Nishita Manne, CEO of Weave smart said, Indian weavers produce have always found resonance with shoppers across the country. Weave smart brings together the weaving community and buyers, and provides access to authentic and beautifully handcrafted products created by weavers and artisans. We are delighted to partner with Amazon India as this launch helps to achieve this objective. Weavesmart, an online SME, stores handloom and handicraft items such as sarees, dress materials, dupattas, accessories for home and living products that are weaved by handloom makers who have chosen weaving as their main occupation. Often, these works highlight tradition, culture. On the launch, Gopal Pillai, Director and GM (Seller Services) of Amazon India said, Amazon India has been continuously working towards enabling more and more sellers, weavers and artisans to embrace online selling and scale greater heights. Our partnership with Weavesmart is another key step towards our constant endeavor which is aligned with the Government‘s Make in India‘ and Digital India‘ initiatives. With our experience and deep understanding of customers across the country, this launch will help provide a wider reach for these products which in-turn will have a positive impact in the lives of the weavers associated with Weavesmart. We are happy to support Weavesmart and offer them the suite of seller services and requisite tools in this digital journey. Earlier, Amazon India partnered with SME‘s from Telangana-based APCO (handloom) and Lepakshi (handicraft); Orissa and West Bengal-based Tantuja (handloom); Karnataka and Tamil Nadu-based Cauvery Handlooms; UP Khadi & Handlooms to enable the Khadi societies in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The ecommerce major has also partnered with central government agencies like TRIFED and Craft Cottage Industries Corporation. Amazon India currently supports more than 1,100 cooperatives from 11 states across the country, it further said in a media statement. At the same time, we have homegrown ecommerce giant Flipkart‘s Myntra which has partnered with the Textile Ministry. Most recently Myntra launched Navibhu‘, a private label handloom brand, to provide a platform for more than 250 styles of traditional hand woven sarees, dupattas, and other handloom items for its customers. Flipkart with its brand Billion‘ has also been promoting Made in India campaign. It is providing a global stage to local sellers through its Flipkart Global platform.
Market
India‘s handloom industry is the second largest employment provider for the rural population after agriculture. According to Handloom Export Promotion Council, a statutory body constituted under the Ministry of Textiles, over 4.3 Mn people are directly involved in the handloom production. In FY 2016-2017, the export of handloom products from India stood at $ 357.53 Mn. Meanwhile, India‘s ecommerce market is expected to touch $200 Bn by 2026 from $ 38.5 Bn as of 2017, as per the report prepared by Morgan Stanley. The latest IBEF report suggests that the total online spending, inclusive of domestic and cross border shopping, is expected to increase by 31% year-on-year to $135.8 Bn (INR 8.76 Tr) by 2018. While India‘s ecommerce market is bulking up as the fastest growing market, and with the top online retailers like Amazon and Flipkart supporting country‘s handloom industry, it becomes imperative for the government to avail sufficient and adequate supply of good quality yarn to weavers at a reasonable price.
Source: Inc42
WASHINGTON/BEIJING - The Trump administration has drawn a hard line in trade talks with China, demanding a $200 billion cut in the Chinese trade surplus with the United States, sharply lower tariffs and advanced technology subsidies, people familiar with the talks said on Friday. The lengthy list of demands was presented to Beijing before the start of talks Thursday and Friday between top-level Trump administration officials and their Chinese counterparts to try to avert a damaging trade war between the world's two largest economies. The statement gave no indication that U.S. President Donald Trump would back off on his threat to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion in Chinese goods over allegations of intellectual property theft. The delegation was returning to Washington to brief Trump and "seek his decision on next steps," the White House said, adding that the administration had "consensus" for "immediate attention" to change the U.S-China trade and investment relationship. China's state-run Xinhua news agency described the talks as "constructive, candid and efficient" but with disagreements that remain "relatively big." Tariff threats have roiled stock markets in recent weeks, but the inconclusive outcome of the Beijing talks did little to stop a rally in U.S. shares prompted by jobs data that eased fears of faster Federal Reserve rate hikes. Stocks in Shanghai ended 0.5 percent lower while they fell 1.3 percent in Hong Kong. Trump told reporters in Washington that he was determined to bring fairness to U.S.-China trade. "We will be doing something one way or the other with respect to what's happening in China," Trump said. He added that he had "great respect" for China's President Xi Jinping. "That's why we're being so nice, because we have a great relationship." China during the meetings asked that the United States ease crushing sanctions on Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp,, people with knowledge of the matter said. Washington's demand for a $200 billion cut from China's U.S. goods trade surplus doubles Trump's previous request for a $100 billion cut. China had a record U.S. goods trade surplus of $375 billion in 2017. Trump has also demanded "reciprocity" between U.S. and Chinese tariffs, frequently complaining about China's 25 percent car tariff while the U.S. equivalent is 2.5 percent. The U.S. team, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, demanded that China lower tariffs to levels no higher than those imposed by the United States, two people familiar with the demands said. The delegation also asked China to halt subsidies for advanced technology linked to its "Made in China 2025," the sources said. At the heart of the dispute are U.S. allegations that Chinese joint venture requirements and other policies force American companies to turn over their intellectual property, costing them billions of dollars annually and giving China's state enterprises an edge in the race to develop new industries crucial to future growth. China denies such coercion. Its 2025 industrial plan seeks to upgrade China's manufacturing sector to more advanced products, including information technology, semiconductors and aircraft. "I think the U.S. is asking for the impossible. Reducing the deficit by $200 billion by 2020 is quite an unrealistic demand, but it may also be a negotiation tactic to start high first," said Tommy Xie, economist at OCBC Bank in Singapore.
BEIJING OFFERS
China offered to increase U.S. imports and lower tariffs on some goods, including cars, according to the sources. But Beijing asked the United States to treat Chinese investment equally under national security reviews, refrain from new restrictions on investments and halt a proposal to impose 25 percent tariffs under its "Section 301" intellectual property probe. China also offered to reconsider anti-dumping duties on U.S. sorghum, according to a proposal it submitted. Xinhua said there had been exchanges of opinion on intellectual property protections, expanding U.S. exports and bilateral services trade. It gave no indication of what actions might be taken but said the two sides committed to resolve their trade disputes through dialogue. U.S. negotiators agreed to bring up the ZTE sanctions with Trump after new representations from the Chinese side, Xinhua said. ZTE was hit last month with a seven-year ban on American companies selling components and software to it after the U.S. Commerce Department found ZTE failed to comply with an agreement to settle breached U.S. sanctions on Iran. "My impression was that (the talks) didn't go well given the rhetoric," said Kevin Lai, senior economist at Daiwa Capital markets in Hong Kong. "I think the divide is still very big." In an editorial on its website, widely read Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times cited people close to the talks as saying the Chinese "hit back hard" at U.S. criticism, letting them know that China would not give in. The United States has proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods under its "Section 301" probe. Those could go into effect in June following the completion of a 60-day consultation period, but activation plans have been kept vague. China has said its own retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including soybeans and aircraft, will go into effect if the U.S. duties are imposed.
Source: Business Line
Nigeria and China agreed on a currency-swap worth $2.4 billion to boost commercial ties and reduce the need to use the dollar in bilateral trade. Yi Gang, governor of the People‘s Bank of China, and Godwin Emefiele, his Nigerian counterpart, signed a three-year swap of 15 billion yuan or 720 billion naira in Beijing on April 27, the Chinese central bank said in a statement Thursday. The transaction can be renewed if both parties want, it said. The deal, more than two years in the making, will provide naira liquidity to Chinese businesses and provide renminbi liquidity to Nigerian businesses respectively, thereby improving the speed, convenience and volume of transactions between the two countries, the Central Bank of Nigeria said in a separate statement. It will allow Nigerian companies to import spare parts and raw materials from China by sourcing renminbi from local banks and help them avoid the difficulties of seeking other scarce foreign currencies, it said. China is Nigeria‘s second-biggest trading partner after the U.S., with volumes between the two totaling $9.2 billion in 2017, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Nigeria runs a deficit, importing $7.6 billion of goods including textiles and machinery from China and exporting just $1.6 billion, mainly oil and gas.
Dollar Shortages
Nigeria suffered dollar shortages after the 2014 crash in oil prices, which battered the OPEC member‘s economy. Those foreign-exchange scarcities have eased in the last year thanks to an almost 45 percent rise in Brent crude prices to $72.91 a barrel and an increase in portfolio investments. Nigeria attracted fund inflows by opening a currency-trading window for foreign investors known as Nafex, in which the naira was allowed to weaken. The currency-swap with China was calculated at the Nigerian central bank‘s official rate for the naira of around 305 per dollar, rather than the Nafex rate of 360.5. China has signed several currency-swaps with emerging markets. In 2015, it agreed a three-year swap worth $4.8 billion with South Africa.
Source: Bloomberg
Scientists from the University of Plymouth have received Government funding to launch a new research project analysing the impact of tyres and clothing on the marine environment. Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey has pledged £200,000 to explore how tiny plastic particles from tyres, synthetic materials like polyester, and fishing gear - such as nets, ropes and lines - enter our waterways and oceans, and the impact they have on marine life. Following the government's ban on microbeads, this comprehensive research will be used to improve our scientific understanding of how microplastics from other sources enter the oceans - whether through fibres released into waste water during a washing cycle, or car tyre friction on roads creating a dust of particles that make their way into the seas through sewers. The 11-month project will build on research already underway, with some scientists estimating tyres contribute 270,000 tonnes of plastics per year while a single wash load of acrylic clothing could release over 700,000 microfibres into the ocean. Speaking at the National Oceanographic Association's annual conference in London, Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said: "The impact of plastic pollution on our oceans is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our generation. The UK is already leading the way in this area, but we want to go further - and faster. But we can only act where there is robust evidence, and through this exciting project we will build on work underway to better understand how microplastics end up in marine environment and what we can do to tackle this in the future." The research project is being led by Professor Richard Thompson OBE, Head of the International Marine Litter Research Unit at the University. He oversaw Defra's first research project on microplastics and their impact on the marine environment, which led to the UK's pioneering ban on microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics and personal care products coming into force this year. It will also build on a previous study by the University, which identified a single load of washing can release up to 700,000 fibres into the marine environment, by identifying the quantities of synthetic fibres and textiles released through storm water runoff, combined sewage overflows, treated effluent and airborne transport. Professor Thompson said: "The types of microplastics entering the marine environment are incredibly diverse, but recent estimates in Norway and Sweden have suggested that particles of tyre and debris from the road surface could be a substantial source. With very limited real data available to confirm the impact from these sources, there is a genuine and pressing need to establish the true scale of this issue. By combining this with an assessment of the quantities of microplastic from synthetic textiles, we can develop a more complete picture on the relative importance of various sources. We will be able to use our findings can to work with the Government, scientists and industry to try to prevent these particles entering the marine environment in the future." This project will build on the substantial research already underway on marine plastic pollution and the impact of human activities on the marine environment. It will be used to guide future policy priorities as the Government continues in its fight against the scourge of plastics. This includes the 5p plastic bag charge - which has led to 9 billion fewer bags distributed - and last month's pledge to introduce a deposit return scheme for single use drinks containers, subject to consultation, and recent plans to end the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds. It sits alongside the 25 Year Environment Plan commitment to eliminate avoidable plastic waste and the Treasury's call for evidence on how charges and changes to the tax system could be used to reduce single use plastics.
Source: University of Plymouth
Exhibitors from eight countries have already confirmed to participate in the fair‘s European Zone. They join an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around the world. The 2018 edition of this biennial fair takes place from September 4-6 in halls N1 – N3 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. While China retains its edge in terms of technical textiles and nonwovens production capabilities, in the eyes of Chinese buyers, European suppliers are still the leaders when it comes to technology and innovation. This was widely reported by European exhibitors at the previous edition in 2016 of Asia‘s leading biennial trade event for the industry: Cinte Techtextil China. In the Chinese market, buyers want good quality products, so overseas companies, and products with recognised quality certifications, have a lot of potential, commented Ping Chen, General Manager of IBENA Shanghai Technical Textiles. As a leading German company in the industry, our products are welcomed by many buyers at this fair. It is also important to be in the German Pavilion as this signals to buyers that we have quality products, and it attracts more attention. Switzerland-based firm Sanitized AG had the same experience. As a Swiss company in the European Zone I believe it‘s an advantage, as some local buyers have more confidence towards imported products, said Steven Liu, sales manager. Other exhibitors commented on the long-term trends in the Chinese market. There‘s a definite shift to more high-quality machinery in China that isn‘t affected by what‘s happening in the overall economy. Moreover, there are opportunities for overseas suppliers as there is still a gap between us and what Chinese companies produce, explained Dr. Joachim Binnig, vice president, Head of Development & Technology, Autefa Solutions Germany GmbH. Roger Zhang, sales manager for German firm J.H. Ziegler Nonwovens and New Materials commented: Our products are mainly for high-end Chinese customers, such as BMW and Audi. The Chinese market has gradually matured, but the production capability for high-performance products which are energy efficient and eco-friendly is still developing, so there is a lot of space for overseas brands to develop here.
European Zone highlights
This year‘s European Zone will feature around 30 exhibitors from eight countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, while further exhibitors can be found in national pavilions from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. Some of the exhibitor highlights in the European Zone include: Arkema (France): with brands including PMMA Altuglas, Rilsan, Pebax, Kynar PVDF and Bostik, it will present polymer resin for fibers and yarns that apply to a wide range of applications, at the fair. Dakota Coating (Belgium): specialists in thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives, its polymer products, based on polyethylene, polyolefin or mixtures, ethylene vinyl acetates, co-polyamides, polyurethanes and co-polyesters, are suitable for automotive, building, heat transfer and sound insulation uses. Lenzing Plastics (Austria): a new exhibitor at the fair, it is a leading manufacturer of polyolefin and fluoropolymer products, such as Thermoplast and PTFE products. One of their core competencies lies in the monoaxial stretching of films and filaments, and they offer special solutions in the fields of construction & insulation, It will highlight its product at the fair, and with its extreme durability and very smooth surface, it is highly valued in many niche applications in the technical and medical sectors. Protechnic (France): manufacturer of hot-melt adhesives and plastic printed films, it will showcase hot melt thermoadhesive nets, webs and films at the fair. Trelleborg Coated Systems (Italy): another new exhibitor this edition, it produces high-performance, engineered coated fabrics. They offer a wide variety of substrates from Kevlar® to silk – with a choice of weaving methods. Cinte Techtextil China is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA)
Source: Textile World
Karachi: Restricted activity was witnessed on the cotton market on Thursday as an acute shortage of the commodity forced spinners to compromise on lint quality and enter into deals. The highlight of the trading session was a big deal of 13,000 bales at Sadiqabad. Market reports suggested that ginners are holding around 275,000 bales from current season cotton stocks. However, needy spinners are booking small lot deals of inferior quality cotton to meet their demand. Shortage of irrigation water and delay in sowing is a cause of concern for market players. According to market reports an advanced deals of phutti (seed cotton) of 10 trucks load from Shahdadpur for June 15-30 delivery was finalised at a high rate of Rs3,620 per 40kg. This means that cotton prices for next cotton crop would be at around Rs8,000 per maund, brokers said. The world leading cotton markets were firm, with Indian cotton closing Rs100 to 200 higher and New York cotton also closed firmer for all future contracts except maturing May contract. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) spot rates were firm at overnight level. Dawn reports the following deals to have changed hands on ready counter: 400 bales, station Ghotki, at Rs7,300; 275 bales, Rahimyar Khan, at Rs7,300; 800 bales, Khanewal, at Rs7,800; and 13,000 bales, Sadiqabad, at Rs7,550 to Rs7,575.
Source: Morning Report
