Colour Chronicle - June 2013

GLEANINGS FROM THE PRESS
Global Cotton
Demand rising
Global cotton demand will rise this year as
rising consumption in countries like India
and Pakistan offsets a drop in demand
from China, the world’s No 1 producer and
consumer, to its lowest level in decade, a US
industry body said recently. Chinese mills
are buying less raw cotton because they
are importing more yarn, a semi-processed
product, or switching to cheaper man-made
fibre. Mills are struggling because they have
been hurt by Beijing’s policy to support its
farmers.
World mill use will increase to 108.7
mn bales, up 2.5 per cent from 2012, the
National Cotton Council (NCC) has forecast
International mill demand outside of China
estimated to increase by 5.7 per cent for the
2013 crop year, with more than half of the
growth being accounted for by India and
Pakistan. But mill demand in China, the
world’s largest textile market, will decline
3 per cent to 34.3 mn bales in the 2012-13
marketing year. That would be the lowest
since 2003-04 when the world’s secondlargest
economy’s massive boom was taking
off and down almost a third from the 2007-08
peak of 51 mn bales.
– Knitting Views, Jan-Feb 2013
China cotton production 2012-13
Larger than expected
Chinese cotton production for 2012/13 is
estimated at 33.5 mn bales (7.3 mn tonne), up
2.0 mn, or 6.0 per cent, from last month and
up 1 per cent from last year. The estimated
output is slightly below the five - year average
and well below the record set in 2007/08
(37.0 mn bales). The estimated area of
5.2 mn hectares is up 4 per cent this month
but down 4 per cent last year. Yield is
estimated at 1,403 Kg per hectare, up 2 per
cent from last month and up 5 per cent from
last year. Record yields in Northwest China
are expected to offset yield reductions in
Eastern China, which suffered from excessive
rainfall and typhoon damage during the latter
part of the growing season. The revisions
are based on procurement and classification
data published by official Chinese sources,
which indicate greater than expected output
in 2012/13. The increased production came
almost entirely from Xinjiang Province
(Northwest China), which now accounts
for more than half of China’s cotton crop.
Favourable weather, increased planted
area, heavy investment in irrigation and
mechanization, and supportive government
procurement policies have all contributed to
the remarkable output in Xinjiang this year.
– Knitting Views, Jan-Feb 2013
Apparel exports
Can treble on Central
incentive
The apparel industry will be able to treble
exports within three years if the Center
allows it to utilise 15 per cent of the export
turnover to improve raw materials such as
synthetic fabrics that are not available in the
country, AEPC has said, particularly apparel
and knitwear garments, going by increased
orders in the last two months, Apparel Export
Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Dr. A.
Sakthivel said in Tirupur.
– Knitting Views, Jan-Feb 2013
Arvind acquires
Hanes Brands India operation
Soon after the acquisition of the business
operations of British fashion retailers
Debenhams, Next and American Lifestyle
Brand Nautica in India, Arvind Lifestyle
has announced the acquisition of the Hanes
Brand India operations. Arvind has signed
an agreement to market and sell basic and
intimate apparel in the country under the
Hanes and Wonderbra brands, under a
licensing agreement with US-based Hanes
brands Inc. The transaction marks Arvind
Lifestyles entry into the highly lucrative
market of branded apparel essentials with
lingeries and undergarments. Arvind plans
to increase the Hanes point of sales in India
from the present 5,000 to 15,000 in the next
three years and to grow Hanes Vertical
within the company to achieve ` 500 cr
revenues over next four years.
– Knitting Views, Jan-Feb 2013
Arvind, Welspun
Textile-park setup in Gujarat
In a boost to the textile industry in Gujarat,
two Industry biggies Arvind and Welspun
India are set to invest in integrated textile
parks and manufacturing facilities. After
investing in its own denim, spinning, shirting,
real estate and other business, Ahmedabad
- based textile conglomerate Arvind is now
said to be investing around ` 2,000 cr in an
integrated textile park. On the other hand
Welspun is planning to invest close to ` 3,000
cr for an integrated manufacturing plant.
– Knitting Views, Jan-Feb 2013
India slaps 16 per cent duty
On RMG imports from
Bangladesh
Export of ready-made garments (RMG) to
India would face a major setback as the big
neighbour’s Parliament slapped nearly 16 per
cent countervailing duty (CVD) on imports of
the products from Bangladesh, RMG sector
insiders said. The Indian measure came
when the RMG exporters in Bangladesh
started viewing the neighbouring country as
the biggest export destination after the US
and the EU following Delhi’s withdrawal of
import duty on 48 garment products last year.
Despite many barriers like devaluation of
the Indian rupee against the US dollar or the
Lilliput debt issue, the growth in RMG export
to India marked a notable rise - nearly 35 per
cent in the first seven months of the current
financial year, according to the research cell
of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA).
– Apparel Views, March 13, 2013
Punjab - New Industrial policy
To boost Textile industry
The government of the North-Western
Indian State of Punjab will be implementing
a “New Industrial Promotion Policy” from
April 1, 2013, which would greatly boost the
textile industry in the State. Speaking at the
North India Textile Conclave 2013, organized
by Confederation of Indian Textile Industry
(CITI) in Chandigarh, Punjab Deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the
Minister for Investment Promotion, said the
State is now ready to unveil a revolutionary
industrial invest promotion policy. He said
the policy has been framed on the basis of
suggestions received from a core team of
industrial experts as well as the Governance
Reforms Commission.
– Apparel Views, March 2013
19 COLOUR CHRONICLE__JUNE 2013