The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has put forth recommendations to the government to improve the availability and affordability of crucial raw materials for the Indian textile sector. CITI Chairman Rakesh Mehra highlighted the importance of access to cotton and man-made fibers at competitive global prices to achieve the industry’s target of reaching a USD 350 billion output by 2030.
To address cotton supply challenges, CITI has urged the government to remove import duties on all types of cotton, including cotton waste. Additionally, the industry body has suggested enhancing cotton productivity through specialized seed varieties. On the man-made fiber front, CITI has proposed exempting fibers and yarns not locally available from Quality Control Orders.
The recommendations also include exempting imported inputs used by Advance Authorizations holders, Export Oriented Units (EOUs), and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units from mandatory QCOs for polyester fiber, filament, and yarn. Mehra stressed the industry’s capacity to drive growth and emphasized the significance of ensuring raw material availability at competitive prices to overcome stagnation and foster expansion in the sector.