Chennai, May 15: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately remove the 11 percent import duty on cotton. He warned that the rising costs of raw materials are putting the state’s textile and apparel sector in serious crisis.
In a letter to PM Modi, CM Vijay stated that the significant increase in the prices of cotton and yarn has put immense pressure on garment manufacturers, threatening the livelihoods of millions of workers dependent on this sector.
Highlighting Tamil Nadu as India’s largest exporter of textiles and apparel, the Chief Minister noted that this industry provides direct and indirect employment to millions.
CM Vijay emphasized that the textile and apparel industry in Tamil Nadu is facing a severe crisis due to the unprecedented rise in cotton and yarn prices. He attributed this increase primarily to a decline in domestic cotton production and heightened commercial activities across the country, which have disrupted the supply chain and impacted textile manufacturers.
He further mentioned that the continuous supply of raw materials can now only be ensured through imports, but the current 11 percent import duty on cotton makes imports costly and unviable for the industry.
According to the Chief Minister, the price of cotton has surged from ₹54,700 to ₹67,700 per candy in the past two months, marking an increase of nearly 25 percent. During the same period, yarn prices have also risen from ₹301 per kilogram to ₹330 per kilogram.
CM Vijay reiterated that the increase in prices is mainly due to reduced domestic cotton production and increased commercial activities nationwide, which have disrupted the supply chain and affected textile manufacturers.
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Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
