Complex procedures, import restrictions hurt garment export growth: GTRI

Issues like complex procedures of DGFT and customs, import restrictions and domestic vested interests are holding up the export growth of the Indian garment sector, think tank GTRI said on Sunday.

At the root of the exporters' problem is difficulty in obtaining quality raw fabric, particularly synthetic fabric, the Global Trade Research Initiative said.

"Unlike in Bangladesh and Vietnam, where exporters easily access quality imported fabrics, Indian exporters struggle daily. High import duties on fabrics, coupled with DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) and Customs; intricate procedures, force exporters to meticulously account for every inch and type of fabric imported," GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said.

He added that the imposition of mandatory quality norms on raw materials like polyester and viscose staple fibres is complicating imports as the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) slowly registers foreign suppliers, and this delay compels exporters to buy from domestic ...