Centre weighs scrapping 11% cotton import duty till October as prices surge 10-15%
Apparel Export Promotion Council pushes for duty waiver as West Asia crisis lifts cotton prices 10-15%. India faces 45 lakh bale supply gap (337 lakh demand vs 292 lakh arrivals). Move aims to restore FTA competitiveness against Bangladesh and Vietnam textile exporters.
Centre likely to scrap 11% cotton import duty till October to ease input costs for Indian textile and apparel manufacturers facing 10-15% cotton price surge amid West Asia crisis, supporting FTA competitiveness against Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Why this matters
AEPC is escalating policy advocacy as Indian apparel exporters lose ground to Bangladesh and Vietnam, with cotton input costs and a 45 lakh bale supply gap threatening FTA competitiveness.
Retail-brand signals steady at 595 over 90 days, with policy and input-cost pressures dominating.