India’s apparel exports have declined 10.25 per cent for February 2018 against February 2017.

In rupee terms the decline has been 13.86 per cent.

For the period April to February 2017-18, there has been a drastic decline of 10.25 per cent in apparel exports. There has also been a decline in apparel production by 10.4 per cent for the period April to January 2017-18.

On the other hand for the period July 2017 to February 2018, apparel exports from Bangladesh registered an 8.68 per cent improvement over last year.

The US has filed a complaint at the WTO about India’s export subsidy programs like the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme, the Export Oriented Units Scheme, Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme etc.

The fact that the US has filed a complaint at the WTO about India’s export subsidy programs has turned the heat further on India. The withdrawal of export subsidies, says AEPC, is only going to benefit countries like Bangladesh which are already showing consistent growth in their readymade garment exports.

AEPC wants the government to intervene immediately to redress the situation and also allow the release of refunds as until refunds start flowing, things will not improve both on the production as well as the export fronts.