The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) plans to strengthen its skill training programmes to cater to the needs of the industry.
A. Sakthivel, the newly-elected chairman of AEPC, said that the Council runs 174 Apparel Training and Design Centres in the country. “Now, upskilling and new skilling are the mantra. We should do more in areas such as industrial engineering too,” he said.
This is one of the long-term goals of the council. Further, it plans to develop a business-to-business portal where both, garment exporters and overseas importers will have access to details of buyers and suppliers. “Ours is an organisation for export promotion. So we should look at projects that will help exporters grow,” he said. There is good potential for round the year business. Garment exporters in India mainly do cotton-based products. “We should do (products in) all fibres.”
The textile and garment sectors faced several challenges and required the intervention of the Government to revive growth. “Exporters are scared to take orders. We need a level-playing field with the competing countries,” Mr. Sakthivel said.
Garment exporters in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam have 10 % cost advantage in the international market as these countries get preferential treatment in several western nations. The Indian government should look at Free Trade Agreements or Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with advantage to the garment exporters in India.
