Centre likely to scrap 11% cotton import duty till October as prices surge 10-15%
Indian textile and apparel manufacturers face a 45 lakh bale supply gap against 337 lakh bales demand, with West Asia crisis driving cotton prices up 10-15%. AEPC-backed duty waiver aims to restore cost competitiveness against Bangladesh and Vietnam under new FTAs.
Centre likely to scrap 11% cotton import duty till October to ease input costs for Indian textile and apparel manufacturers facing 10-15% price surge, supply gap of 45 lakh bales, and competition from Bangladesh/Vietnam under new FTAs.
Why this matters
AEPC's duty waiver push follows mounting pressure on Indian textile exporters losing ground to Bangladesh and Vietnam, with cotton input costs eroding competitiveness under newly signed FTAs.
Retail-brand signals steady at 713 over 90 days, reflecting sustained policy and sourcing activity.