Textile mills and fabric manufacturers in India have sought the removal of anti-dumping duty on viscose staple fiber to make the textile industry internationally competitive.

Ashwin Chandran, Chairman, Southern India Mills Association (SIMA) said textile manufacturers, who use viscose staple fiber, supply products to niche markets where there is a huge demand for viscose fabric. Removing anti-dumping duty on these viscose fibers will align domestic prices align with the global prices, he added.

Powerloom weavers are dependent on imported viscose spun yarn to compete in the international market. However, almost four lakh spindles in India with a production capacity worth Rs 1,000 crore, lost the opportunity to tap this import potential due to the availability of high viscose fibers in the domestic market. As M Senthil Kumar, Former Chairman, Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council points out, viscose fabric is in high demand in the fashion with many leading brands seeking viscose products in the last four-five years. Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF) says , countries such as Vietnam are looking to source more fabrics from India, especially man-made fiber and blended fabrics.