Ludhiana: MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora raised an important issue of Dumping of cheap Chinese fabrics & Duty-free import of man-made fabrics from Bangladesh in the ongoing session of Rajya Sabha on Monday.
In his address, Arora said the industry is facing a dual challenge of slowing export demand and a large influx of imported fabrics and garments, particularly from China. This massive dumping of cheap, low-quality fabrics from China is causing significant harm to the Indian textile industry, especially the MSME sector. The industry seeks an immediate ban on the import of low-rate and low-quality knitted fabrics from China. It is crucial to impose a Minimum Import Price of at least USD 3.50 per kg on all HSN codes under Chapter-60 of the Customs Tariff to protect the domestic industry.
Arora said another pressing issue is the duty-free import of man-made fabric apparels from Bangladesh under the SAARC agreement of 2006. Bangladesh imports cheaper fabrics from China, converts them into garments, and dumps them into the Indian market.
He said garment manufacturing is a labour-intensive industry that provides employment opportunities, especially for women. This duty-free import should be banned immediately to promote the local industry and protect jobs.
Arora said that it is crucial to address these issues to ensure a level playing field for the Indian Textile Industry.
He urged upon the government to take swift action to address these concerns and safeguard the interests of the Indian Textile Industry.
Concluding he said that he looked forward to the government response and its plan of action to tackle these challenges.