Business worth Rs. 1,000 crores generated
The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) organized Texfair 2019, the largest expo of textile machinery, spares, accessories and other supporting services, and Farm to Finish Expo 2019 that showcased right from raw material to finished products, during August 9-12 at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore.
At the inaugural function on August 9, the SIMA Chairman, Mr. P. Nataraj, welcomed the Chief Guest, Dr. K.V. Srinivasan, Chairman, Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), Mr. Ajay D. Shah, President, Textile Machinery and Mill Stores Merchants Association (TMMSMA), and Mr. Jugal Kishore Pansari, President of the Indian Textile Accessories and Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (ITAMMA), as well as the large number of exhibitors present on the occasion.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Srinivasan stated that the Central and State Governments should support the textile industry, which is passing through a critical phase, with measures to improve the sector’s competitiveness. Factors such as poor demand in the export and domestic markets, lack of skilled labour and high raw material cost are affecting the textile units adversely.
He said that exports of yarn, fabric and made-ups grew over 50% from 2008 to 2018. However, in 2019, yarn exports saw a steep decline, especially in June this year when it was at the lowest in the last five years. Of course, China gave duty-free access to Pakistan from April last, apart from Bangladesh and Vietnam, which were already enjoying this benefit.
In a falling market, the tariff difference of 4% is significant to sustain the competitiveness of the textile industry. As it generates employment in large numbers, the Union Government should refund taxes and duties paid for export of all textile products.
He also appealed to the Government to reintroduce the interest subvention scheme.
While Mr. Ajay Shah and Mr. Jugal Kishore Pansari offered felicitations, Mr. Ashwin Chandran, SIMA Vice Chairman, proposed a vote of thanks.
At the Texfair expo, spares manufacturers / suppliers and other supporting service providers from China, Japan, Switzerland, Italy and the US, apart from domestic players across the country catering to the various segments of the textile industry, showcased their products and services.
At the Farm to Finish Expo, varieties of cotton, man-made fibres, regenerated fibres, different types of yarn, cloth samples, fabrics, made-ups, garments and special clothings like sportswear, baggages, etc., were exhibited by the textile mills across the country.
Both the expos provided an opportunity for different clusters of the industry to know the latest improvements in technology and availability of domestic as well as import substitution spares. As many as 250 exhibitors showcased their products and services in 320 stalls.
The expos attracted about one lakh visitors and generated business worth around Rs. 1,000 crores. Business visitors from countries like China, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka visited the expos and derived the benefit, besides the visitors from all over the country.
On the occasion, the Texfair 2019 organisers thanked all the exhibitors for showcasing their products and services, the CEOs of mills for visiting and deputing their technical personnel and also visitors from various textile clusters across the State to make the expos a big success. They said: “We are optimistic that, with the Union Government’s initiatives of ‘Make in India’, ‘Skill India’ and other initiatives like DBT, GST, etc., and the recovery of the global economy, the Indian textile industry would increase its share in the global textile and clothing business.”