TIRUPUR: Kongu region in Tamil Nadu — comprising of Coimbatore, Tirupur, Palladam, Erode and Karur — should double its annual textile exports from Rs 21,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore by 2015, Union Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran said here on Monday. He said the region currently contributes to one-fourth of country’s total textile exports.
Speaking at the Indian Textile Young Entrepreneurs Conference and development of SMEs through International JVs, Mr Maran urged the present generation to set up individual targets and work towards vision 2015. "If the country has to achieve its export target then every individual exporter should reach his or her targets first," he said.
He exhorted the youths to be ambitious and asked them to utilise every available opportunity. "The older generation had to fall to rise, but today, we have all the expertise and experience around us that we needn’t fall to rise. We can learn from other’s example and grow at a faster pace," he told them.
Calling for more active participation, he said, "be part of our textile delegations when we go abroad so that you can get window of opportunities." He said the ministry’s recent promotional trip to Japan has led to doubling of exports to that country. "From the earlier $150 million worth of exports to Japan, the country has done $300 million now," he added.
He said, his recent tour to Europe has also yielded good results and around 60 international companies are participating in a buyer-seller meet in Delhi next week. "The export market is looking good and buyers from various European countries are visiting India next week. We can only give business opportunities, it is for you to capitalise on it," he added.
Ruling out a ban on cotton exports, Mr Maran asked the industry to gear up to face the reality and improve their business acumen by manufacturing garments out of man-made fibres. "Make a beginning now. We cannot reach the ministry’s target without using man-made fibres," he added. He said the ministry will allocate more funds to develop this man-made fibre mission.
Earlier Ms Rita Menon, union textiles secretary said, there is large potential for manufacturing of active wear, sports wear and lingerie here. "The exporters need to look at synthetic wear to double exports from this region," she added.
Source : The Economic Time