Indian apparel exporters are struggling while those in Bangladesh and Vietnam have gone from strength to strength in the first nine months of the current year. During the period under review, Indian apparel exports have declined by (-) 0.08 per cent to US $ 2,876.59 million as compared to US $ 2,878.79 million in the corresponding period last year.
In the month of September particularly, India’s apparel export percentage to the US changed from positive to negative; till the end of August this year India’s growth (albeit marginal) was up 0.06 per cent. The categories most hit during the period were sweaters (negative 49.60 per cent), jackets and blazers (negative 10.10 per cent), ladies skirts (negative 21.47 per cent) and suits and ensembles (negative 11.75 per cent).
Also Read – Indian apparel exports zoom in first half of 2016
It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s exports to the European Union are also not doing well enough. In the first eight months of this year, Indian apparel exports saw a marginal growth of 0.33 per cent as against Vietnam and Bangladesh that registered a growth rate of 8.26 per cent and 6.88 per cent, respectively.
