The 62nd National Garment Fair, organized by The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), with 283 stalls, displaying over 330 brands, was inaugurated by Textile Commissioner Dr Kavita Gupta in Mumbai on January 27.
Approximately, 15,000 retailers and trade visitors from all over India are expected to visit this fair. The exhibitors at the fair displayed a wide range of menswear, womenswear, kidswear, ethnic wear, intimate wear, sportswear etc, showcasing their Spring-Summer 2016 collection.
Against the backdrop of this B2B garment fair, Dr Gupta revealed that the new textile policy is ready and will soon be announced.
Since the readymade garment sector is a major employer in the country, the government has extended its complete support to the industry.
The much-awaited textile policy will provide a 15 per cent subsidy for the garments industry and 10 per cent subsidy for the other sectors of the textile industry.
Talking about textile parks, Dr Kavita said that 72 textile parks have already been approved, but only 25 to 30 parks are currently operating on a full scale basis. With a 13 per cent share in the market, technical textile is being seen as a sunrise industry, which is projected to grow at 20 per cent Year-On-Year.
Mr Rahul Mehta, President of the CMAI (also President of the Indian Apparel Federation) opined that readymade garments should be included in the merit list of GST. Talking of the textiles trends in the coming year, he said, “I see a reasonable 10 – 12 per cent growth in the overall market, with womenswear & kidswear growing at a much faster rate. Organized retail will continue to grow and MBOs will continue to be under pressure.”
