The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council

MARKET WATCH 25 MAY, 2018

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

Wednesday: Asian PTA prices decline

PTA prices plunged a bit in Asia on Wednesday due to absence of buying demand in the region. In FE Asia, PTA prices dropped down by US$ 5/ton on Wednesday as compared to Tuesday and quoted at US$ 820/ton. In SE Asia, PTA prices decreased by US$ 5/ton as compared to the previous day and settled at US$ 830/ton on Wednesday. In India, PTA prices reduced by US$ 5/ton and secured at US$ 840/ton on Wednesday as compared to the previous day.

Source: Fibre2fashion

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Rejuvenate Tirupur knitwear cluster, EPS urges Modi

Tirupur: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Central government‘s intervention to rejuvenate Tirupur knitwear cluster. Without directly mentioning that measures taken post GST implementation have also played a role in weakening the readymade garment (RMG) sector, Palaniswami wanted the centre to increase the rate of duty drawback and clear pending rebate on state levies (RoSL) dues of Rs 500 crore to be given to the cluster. In the letter dated May 22, the CM said, ―In the last decade, countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka have overtaken India in RMG international market. Especially, the eastern neighbour Bangladesh has four times bigger market share than our country. Many of such countries were enjoying different advantages in the market. For instances, Sri Lanka was accorded as generalised scheme of preferences (GSP) plus by the European Union, so that the island nation could export apparels to EU countries without payment of import duty. Ethiopia, which is one of the emerging textile manufacturing nations, has free trade access with the United States. At the same time, Indian apparel exports to US are subjected to a levy of 11.40%. Moreover, while Indian exporters are levied import duty on yarn used to produce garments that are to be exported, countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia levy no such duty,‖ he mentioned.

Without mentioning about implementation of GST, Palaniswami said since July 1, 2017, RoSL is slashed from 3.5% to 1.7%, and also 0.21% of the service tax component of drawback was removed. Besides, duty drawback was reduced from 7.5% to 2-2.5%. The CM requested that In order to cover all of these issues and provide competitive edge over other countries, the Central government should increase duty drawback to 5%. And also the pending dues of RoSL, which has not been cleared since May 2017, entitled to be given to Tirupur cluster alone touched around Rs 500 crore. So, it also should be cleared.‖ Thanking the CM for forwarding their representation, vice-chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council A Sakthivel told TOI that. There will be possibilities for entering free trade agreement (FTA) with EU and also comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with Canada and Australia, in apparel sector. The central government should take quick steps for such agreements.‖ Tirupur Exporters‘ Association president Raja M Shanmugham said, ―With such positive measures coupled with unveiling of integrated Tamil Nadu textile policy, the rejuvenation of the textile sector in the state will become possible.

Source:  Times of India

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Indian government likely to power 50 million rural jobs jointly with Impact PPA

Indian Government has partnered with decentralised energy platform ImpactPPA to generate 50 million rural jobs in the country. Under the auspice of the Giriraj Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), ImpactPPA will be working with the MSME to carry out the government‘s Bhartiya Harit Khadi Gramodaya. Sansthan (BHKGS) initiative. The initiative is likely to introduce around 50 million jobs for female workers in India‘s rural areas. The initiative will be started with Khanwan village in Bihar. Under the programme, textile looms will be installed in the homes of women workers. As per the partnership, ImpactPPA will deliver renewable energy to power these looms, using the Ethereum blockchain to manage supply-chain logistics for the initiative. It‘s an honor to work with the government of India to deploy out technology solutions,‖ Dan Bates, CEO of ImpactPPA, said. A project of this scope clearly demonstrates that the use of renewable energy and block chain technology has reached the mainstream. This partnership perfectly aligns with our fundamental mission to help improve quality of life with energy as the engine for social good and greater economic justice,‖ he added. As per the estimations done under the partnerships, the female workers could generate 8,000-10,000 rupees (USD 115-145) a month which is around 60 per cent increase to the monthly incomes of some of the families. The joint monthly income for families in some of India‘s poorest villages is estimated around 7,000 rupees (USD 100). Having worked with the government of India on various solutions and projects for social impact, this alliance is a game-changer,‖ said Aradhana Singh, CEO and managing director of Sarang Services Pvt Ltd, a company serving as India‘s domestic partner for the project. We are thrilled that ImpactPPA will be the provider of energy and blockchain technology and services for the project, bringing tangible economic growth opportunities while advocating women‘s empowerment, she further said.

Source: Digital Learning

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SIMA hails the cabbotage rule relaxation for cotton transport

PUNE: India is the second largest textile manufacturing and exporting country in the world next only to China has been facing challenges on the logistics cost front, especially transport of cotton from cotton growing states to cotton consuming states. The steep increase in diesel price has increased the lorry transportation cost. Though India is the largest cotton producing country and net exporter of cotton in the world, the domestic cotton textile industry could not derive competitive advantage due to the steep increase in cotton transportation cost. At the same time, countries like China and Vietnam could transport the cotton at a much cheaper cost in the international cotton trade. The average cotton transportation cost between Gujarat and China is far less than USD 200 for a 40-foot container having a capacity of 170 cotton bales each weighing 170 kgs. (i.e., less than Rs.100 per bale). During the peak cotton season the lorry freight per bale between Gujarat ginning factory (the largest cotton producing state in the country) and spinning mills in Tamil Nadu (that account 47% of the spinning capacity in the country and producing less than 5% of its annual cotton requirement) was ruling upto Rs.1,000 per bale. The transportation cost for imported cotton from countries in West Africa to the spinning mills in Tamil Nadu was ruling around Rs.400 per bale. Therefore, the industry opted for the cotton transport by rail and ship. But, the price difference between lorry and these modes of transport was less than 10%. While competing countries are transporting cotton at a cheaper price, our cost is still high. Against this background, the cotton textile industry demanded relaxation of cabbotage rule for transporting cotton from ports in Gujarat to ports in Tamil Nadu and use foreign flag vessels to carry the cotton. At the direction of PMO, the Ministry of Shipping and DG shipping immediately convened the stakeholders meeting, facilitated reduction of cost by exempting the fuel used by the Indian flag vessels from Central Excise Duty and also 40% discount in the port handling charges. Since the Government did not exempted the fuel from Sales Tax and also the Indian flag vessels from Seafarer Tax, the cost remained high

Source: Economic Times

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Grasim VSF business revenue up 15% in Q4FY18

The net revenue of viscose staple fibre (VSF) business of Grasim Industries for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 was recorded at ₹2,232 crore, up by 15 per cent and it was ₹8,376 crore for fiscal 2018, up 18 per cent. The capacity debottlenecking at multiple plant locations is progressing well, with 44 KTPA of capacity coming on-stream in May 2018. The company EBITDA rose 16 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018 to ₹401 crore and for full year it soared 17 per cent at ₹1,680 crore driven by higher sales volume and improved average realisation with higher domestic sales. The VSF business reported its highest ever sales volume of 508 KT in FY18, led by growth in the domestic market with intense market development efforts. The share of the domestic sales the overall sales rose to 75 per cent in FY18 from 69 per cent in FY17. The number of Liva tagged garments has witnessed a 10x increase in the last three years to 30.25 million in FY18. More than 3,000 stores across the country are making Liva tagged garments available to the customers, a Grasim press release said. The caustic soda prices stabilised during the quarter led by capacity restarts in China. The underlying demand from the user industry (Alumina and Textile) continues to remain buoyant. The caustic soda brownfield expansion of 144 KTPA at Vilayat, Gujarat was commissioned in May earlier this year. (RR)

Source: Fibre2fashion

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Vastrabharana’s second edition in the city promises to showcase the best of desi handloom traditions

Riding high on the success of its first Mumbai edition, the Craft Council of Karnataka‘s (CCK) annual handicrafts exhibition, Vastrabharana, is back to showcase an array of handloom textiles and handmade jewellery from all over India. Sarees, scarves, stoles and dupattas in chanderi and khadi fabrics, Madhubani art weaves, ajrakh prints and hand-woven silks will be on sale at the two-day exhibition and sale. Vastrabharana aims at promoting Indian handlooms and textiles while providing a sustainable livelihood to local crafts people and artisans.  In addition to bridging the gap between artisan communities and urban markets, Vastrabharana also educates weavers and craftsmen on how to cater to contemporary buyers through design intervention and product development. The exhibition also aims at providing a sustainable livelihood and profits for 34 weavers from all around the country. ―Fifty percent of our sales are from Vastrabharana,‖ says Anoop Rai of MARM, a participating brand that will be selling chanderi sarees (₹3,500-12,500), dupattas (₹1,500-4,500), scarves and stoles (₹ 1,000-1,500) and fabric (₹600-1,000) at the textile exhibition. CCK also aims at linking contemporary designers to local artisans who master the textile craft of their region. ―[CCK] encourages us to work with the craftspeople who are directly involved with handmade products and they also try to keep traditional handicrafts alive‖, says Manas Gorai, designer, gemmologist and owner of brand, Manas, which employed 15 craftspersons to put together, a collection of naturally dyed khadi fabrics and handmade jewellery which will be showcased at the exhibition, ranging from ₹1500 to ₹15000. Vastrabharana 2018‘s highlights include Sufiyan Khatri‘s contemporary innovation with the ajrakh prints of Kutch, Metaphor Racha‘s functional summer khadi clothing, Nuppur‘s recreation of Madhubani art on woven materials and handlooms from Mangaligiri and Banaras by Vishal Kapur Design. Srinagar and vishwakarma sarees that tell stories by Palash as well as home furnishings in kasuti embroidery by Kala Nele. Designer Malavika of Malavika creations, a recipient of the UNESCO Seal of Excellence, will showcase a range of badla craftsmanship on Maheshwari and tussar silks. Vastrabharana 2018 takes place from today until May 27 at Coomaraswamy Hall, CSMVS, Fort.

Source: The Hindu

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Let exporters be given remittances at real effective rate of rupee: EEPC India

Engineering exporters' body EEPC India today said the exchange value of remittances to exporters should reflect the real effective rate of the rupee, claiming that such a move could make export promotion schemes WTO-compliant and its shipments competitive. ''In particular, it needs to be seen whether the exporters can be paid (the exchange value) on the basis of RBI's real effective exchange rate (REER) or if that is not possible a thumb rule should be followed to ensure that the deviation of the nominal exchange rate should not be more than 15 per cent of the RBI's six country REER," EEPC India Chairman Ravi Sehgal said in a statement. The rupee recovered from a near 18-month low by rising 12 paise to 68.30 against the dollar in opening trade today on fresh selling of the US currency by exporters and banks. According to Sehgal, keeping the currency a bit muted for export promotion has not been appreciated enough. "While some of the existing schemes may come under the WTO (World Trade Organisation) scanner, keeping a close watch on the domestic currency and allowing the benefit for exporters, cannot be treated as an export subsidy in WTO norms, as the impact is for the entire economy, in de facto terms," he said. He observed that a stable and slightly undervalued currency works both as an export subsidy and import tariff in a WTO consistent manner. Sehgal said as the pressure on WTO mounts from several competing and developed countries, the protection under SMC (Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures) would have to be realigned in a manner that Indian exports do not suffer. "We should continue with the current Foreign Trade Policy provisions till 2020 as that is life of the current policy and based on that the long term contracts have been signed, particularly, in the engineering sector. "Thereafter, we can move to a fresh set of WTO compatible measures, once out of Annex VII provisions," the EEPC India chief said. Other suggestions by the body include differential rate of around 15 per cent of income tax on export income. It claimed that a similar law has been enacted by the US for intangible income for the American firms from overseas. "Incentives should be enhanced to small scale industries (MSMEs) as these will not be a specific subsidy according to the SCM Agreement and hence will not be actionable under the WTO prohibitive regime. For this purpose, the incentives could be linked to tax breaks; enhanced depreciation rates," EEPC India said. Besides, the council has suggested a separate refund mechanism for all indirect taxes, which are levied in the supply chain for export production. Such a mechanism, it said, would also be WTO-compliant and include refund of electricity levy (which is very high in several states), taxes on fuel, stamp duty, entry tax, road tax, property tax, input credits blocked due to tax inversion etc.

Source: Financial Express

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Global Textile Raw Material Price 2018-05-24

Item

Price

Unit

Fluctuation

Date

PSF

1405.485

USD/Ton

-0.06%

5/24/2018

VSF

2215.89

USD/Ton

0.57%

5/24/2018

ASF

3038.04

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

Polyester POY

1417.23

USD/Ton

-0.55%

5/24/2018

Nylon FDY

3460.86

USD/Ton

1.14%

5/24/2018

40D Spandex

5559.3

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

Nylon POY

3132

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

Acrylic Top 3D

1714.77

USD/Ton

-0.45%

5/24/2018

Polyester FDY

3617.46

USD/Ton

0.43%

5/24/2018

Nylon DTY

5919.48

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

Viscose Long Filament

1691.28

USD/Ton

-0.23%

5/24/2018

Polyester DTY

3147.66

USD/Ton

1.01%

5/24/2018

30S Spun Rayon Yarn

2959.74

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

32S Polyester Yarn

2262.87

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

45S T/C Yarn

3022.38

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

40S Rayon Yarn

2677.86

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

T/R Yarn 65/35 32S

2364.66

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

45S Polyester Yarn

2568.24

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

T/C Yarn 65/35 32S

3116.34

USD/Ton

0%

5/24/2018

10S Denim Fabric

1.461078

USD/Meter

0%

5/24/2018

32S Twill Fabric

0.895752

USD/Meter

0%

5/24/2018

40S Combed Poplin

1.251234

USD/Meter

0%

5/24/2018

30S Rayon Fabric

0.701568

USD/Meter

0%

5/24/2018

45S T/C Fabric

0.739152

USD/Meter

0%

5/24/2018

Source: Global Textiles

Note: The above prices are Chinese Price (1 CNY = 0.15660 USD dtd. 23/5/2018). 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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Researchers Improve Textile Composite Manufacturing

While wearing a crisply ironed, wrinkle-free shirt makes a good impression, researchers at UBC's Okanagan campus are working to solve the issue of wrinkling when it comes to making textile composites. Textile composites are known for their strength and durability. But as Abbas Milani, a professor in UBC Okanagan's School of Engineering explains, a simple wrinkle in the manufacturing process can significantly alter the end product--sometimes diminishing its strength by 50 per cent. Milani says wrinkling is one of the most common flaws in textile composites, which are widely used for prototypes, as well as mass production within prominent aerospace, energy, automotive and marine applications. To iron out the problem, researchers at UBC's Composite Research Network-Okanagan have investigated several de-wrinkling methods and have discovered that they can improve their effectiveness by pulling the materials in two directions simultaneously during the manufacturing process. They did this by creating a custom-made biaxial fixture--a clamp that stretches the textile taught and removes unwanted bumps and folds. "The challenge was to avoid unwanted fibre misalignment or fibre rupture while capturing the out-of-plane wrinkles," says graduate student Armin Rashidi. "Manufacturers who use these types of composites are looking for more information about their mechanical behaviour, especially under combined loading scenarios." The research included stretching the material and then using specialized image processing and 3D scanning to analyze the required forces and its impact on the wrinkling and de-wrinkling of the material. "Composite textiles are changing the way products are designed and built in advanced manufacturing sectors," says Milani, director of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute. "As we continue to innovate in the area of composite textiles to include more polymer resin and fibre reinforcement options, this research will need to continue in order to provide the most up-to-date analysis for manufacturers in different application areas." It is important for designers to be able to predict the right amount of force needed to diminish the wrinkles in the final product, explains Milani. To do this, his team of students has created a multi-step test to assess the magnitude of the required forces needed to smooth out wrinkles of different sizes that were formed at different shear angles of a comingled fibreglass-propylene plain weave fabric. "Students in the Composites Research Network laboratory at UBC Okanagan are laying the groundwork to be world leaders in advanced textile composites by designing, fabricating and examining new testing equipment and fixtures, along with the development of high fidelity forming models."

Source: University of British Columbia

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Consultation workshop for skills development organised in Bangladesh

It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is leapfrogging in terms of economic development and hence skills will play a vital role in sustain the growth. A Consultation Workshop was organised in Bangladesh to address the issue of increased demand of skills in the future and identify skills for Readymade Garments sector. The workshop held on May 22 was initiated by the Access to Information Programme of Prime Minister‘s Office. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is leapfrogging in terms of economic development and hence skills will play a vital role in sustain the growth. Representatives from various departments such as from Textiles, Jute, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, owners and instructors of various garments industries and representatives of public-private skills development agencies related to this sector joined the consultation. The main objective of the workshop was to identify occupations and trades which are likely to get abolished when Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) sets in. Besides that, the required skills in the years coming were also discussed. The world is headed towards the 4th IR and the main idea will be to use information technology in industry or its automation. New job opportunities are being created in developed countries while traditional career options are taking the back seats.

Source: Devidiscourse

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Rwanda used- clothing ban

Rwandan traders have reacted to a move by the government to ban imports of used clothing which they believe will lead to loss of jobs and will have a negative impact on the country‘s economy. The government increased tariffs on imported used clothes with the intention of eventually phasing out importation. Tariffs were hiked from 20 cents to $2.50 per kilogram. Domestic demand for locally produced clothes has been stifled, east African governments say, by the ubiquity of cheap, second-hand garments imported from Europe and the United States. However , Neighboring Kenya which in 2017 exported nearly $340 million of apparel duty-free to the United States, backed down. Uganda and Tanzania followed Kenya‘s example and capitulated, agreeing to roll tariffs back to pre-2016 levels, leaving Rwanda the only East African Community member country to hold out.

Source: Business Africa

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U.S. Bans Import Of Cotton Products From Turkmenistan

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government has banned all imports of cotton goods from Turkmenistan, which activists have accused of rampant use of child and forced labor in cotton harvesting. The Withhold Release Order, filed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service on May 18 and made public on May 24, did not specify the reason for the ban. But members of the U.S. Cotton Campaign, Alternative Turkmenistan News, and International Labor Rights Forum had petitioned the CBP to ban importation of all goods made with Turkmen cotton that was produced with forced labor. "These three groups alleged that the Turkmen government forces public-sector employees under threat of punishment, including loss of wages and termination of employment, to pick cotton," the Crowell & Moring International Trade Group said on its website on May 24. U.S. law prohibits the importation of products produced through slave or child labor or by violating labor laws. "The decision of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service is an important step towards the complete cessation of one of the most egregious practices of using forced labor still left in the world," said Erik Gottwald, director of the International Forum on Labor Rights for Policy Development and Legal Affairs. Ruslan Myatiev, editor and founder of Alternative Turkmenistan News, said that "annually, the Turkmen government forces tens of thousands of public sector employees, including teachers, nurses, and doctors, to pick cotton, pay a bribe or hire a replacement worker, all under threat of punishment, including loss of wages and termination of employment.‖ Several leading global retailers, including H&M and IKEA, have said they were no longer using Turkmen cotton and textiles in their products. Activists have long accused Turkmenistan and some of its Central Asian neighbors of using child and slave labor in their cotton fields and elsewhere. The 2016 Global Slavery Index listed the countries it said have systematically forced their population into labor, including Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, China, Eritrea, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam. The report said that an estimated 15,800 people were believed to be held in "modern slavery" in Turkmenistan.

Source: Radio Liberty

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US & EU retailers release industry approach to GDPR

The Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation and Euro Commerce have jointly released a paper that addresses operational challenges retailers in both the United States and the European Union face as they implement programmes to comply with new EU data protection regulations while continuing to meet consumers’ expectations for customer service. “There are still many questions about how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to critical areas of retail operations,” the paper said. “Retailers must find appropriate methods for GDPR compliance that further their customer relationships and do not frustrate them.” Retailers want to find “approaches to compliance that will meet the requirements of the GDPR while ensuring that they (retailers) can continue to provide customers with the personalisation, omnichannel experiences and seamless retail operations that they expect,” said the 14-page paper titled ‘Retail Approach to Implementing Critical Elements of the GDPR’. The GDPR, which takes effect on Friday, May 25, 2018, sets out changes to almost every area of customer data processing. Retailers with stores, websites, mobile apps and other digital platforms serving consumers will face new compliance standards, increased liability for violations and more stringent enforcement. While the GDPR is European legislation that affects retailers headquartered in any EU country, it also covers companies from countries around the world that have stores in Europe, target sales to Europeans over the internet or through mobile apps and other remote commerce channels, or simply track European consumers online. “These are European rules but they have significant implications for many US retailers,” NRF president and CEO Matt Shay said. “This effort will help inform EU regulators as well as retailers on both sides of the Atlantic about an effective retail approach to compliance with critical elements of the GDPR. It is particularly important for US companies that might not be fully versed in the EU’s new privacy requirements. In the world’s growing global economy, US-based retailers’ consumer privacy and data security programs increasingly need to reflect worldwide obligations, not just national or state requirements.” “Protection of consumers’ data is a top priority for retailers around the world,” said Christian Verschueren, director-general of Euro Commerce, the principal European organisation representing the retail and wholesale sector. “We are pleased to be working with our US counterparts to ensure that Europeans and Americans alike can be confident about the protection of their data, helping our members understand these new rules, and how to deal with them.” The paper will be shared with the data protection authorities in the 28 EU member states to make them aware of retailers’ efforts to ensure GDPR compliance while meeting consumers’ expectations to process data responsibly and seamlessly when serving them, NRF said in a press release. (RKS)

Source: Fibre2fashion

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Vietnamese exports to Africa face price challenges

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese exports to Africa have faced price-related challenges as they have to compete with other African nations in terms of import tax, given the fact there is no free trade agreement or preferential trade agreement between Vietnam and regional countries. According to the Vietnamese Commercial Affairs Office in South Africa, 44 African nations officially sealed a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) agreement during the tenth extraordinary session of the African Union (AU) in Kigali, Rwanda, last March. The deal will come into force within 180 days after at least 22 countries approve it. The agreement has given birth to the world‘s largest free trade area in terms of the number of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organisation in 1948. It can create a single market with a population of 1.2 billion and GDP of 2.5 trillion USD. Under the pact, the signatories committed to remove tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods. The agreement will address seven priority areas related to trade: policy, infrastructure, finance, information, market integration, productivity increase and trade facilitation. Experts said the deal is expected to drive up intra-Africa trade by about 52 percent by 2022, as compared with 2010. The exchange of industrial products is also projected to expand by 53 percent. The Vietnamese office said the CFTA helps cut commercial costs and enable African consumers to access diverse products with lower prices. Lower costs of production materials exchanged between CFTA member countries would raise competitiveness of local producers and help create regional value chains, the office said. Pointing out price challenges for Vietnamese exports to Africa, the office suggested Vietnamese businesses make use of benefits brought about by the pact, which will turn Africa into a busier and more promising area for commercial activities. Hoang Oanh, head of the Department of Asia-Africa Markets under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said Vietnamese firms should pay more attention to markets like Algeria, Egypt, South Africa and Angola, and products like rice, coffee, pepper, seafood, household electric products, garments-textiles and machines for agriculture and garment-textile. With a 1.2 billion population, the region‘s demand for rice is expected to sharply increase, she said, explaining that rice production costs more than imports in African countries as they have to invest much in irrigation. Besides, they have met difficulties in ensuring food security since the regional population is growing faster than the pace of agricultural production. Additionally, the number of mobile phone subscribers in Africa increases the fastest in the world, she said, describing this as a great opportunity for Vietnamese telecommunications firms.

Source: VietnamPlus

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Kenya: GMO cotton trials get underway

The Government has begun nationwide trials for the production of genetically modified cotton. Speaking at the 34th Annual Seminar of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya in Mombasa yesterday, Devolution and Asal Principal Secretary Micah Powon said trials were going on in secluded areas in four regions across the country. Mr Powon said mass production of genetically modified or biotechnology (BT) cotton would boost crop output by up to eight times from the current production of 30,000 bales each year. It is hoped that this will be enough to revive the long-suffering local textile industry. BT cotton resists pests like bollworms. We have started the trials so we can get the best varieties for the Coast, Eastern, North-Eastern and Lake regions," said Powon. "We will soon roll out BT and hybrid cotton varieties production after the legislative policy is ready." He said countries that had adopted BT cotton like India and China had raised farm incomes.

Source: The Business Standard

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