The cotton textile industry plays an important role in the Indian economy. And it is a major source of export income in India. The cotton industry is a significant contributor to India’s export earnings. It exports yarn and fabric to various countries. India enjoys a prominent position as both a producer and an exporter. India is a well-known and a major producer of cotton in the world. The cotton textile market is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of (CAGR) around 7.5% to 7.8% for the coming decade.
Cotton textile industry in India always get enhanced by factors such as
- The humid climate,
- Low capital investment requirements,
- Favourable government rules
- The prevalence of traditional textile practices.
- Favourable market conditions,
- And the best transportation facilities.
The most famous Cotton growing regions in India are
- Gujarat,
- Maharashtra,
- And Punjab.
In India the availability of cheap labour is great. The climate in favour of cotton cultivation is excellent. This textile industry business can be started with a reasonable low initial investment. Low levels of capital investment is enough to manage the labour-intensive textile industry operations like
- Spinning,
- Weaving,
- And dyeing.
The accessibility to raw materials is great. The best transportation facilities provide easy access to raw materials for production purposes. The market is good. The demand is great in both the local and foreign markets. Bulk orders, and long-term contracts are possible in the textile industry manufacturing business. It is one of the low-risk and high-profit manufacturing business ideas.
All About the Cotton Textile Industry
Transformation of Raw Cotton
The transformation of raw cotton into
- Fabrics
- And finished products such as apparel and home furnishings Happens in this textile industry.
Range of Cotton Products
The most familiar range of cotton products are
- Yarn,
- Fabric,
- Finished garments,
- Other Textiles.
Cotton Textile Production Process
The Steps of Cotton textile production
Harvesting:
The people used to harvest cotton mechanically with machines. It will collect mature cotton pods efficiently.
Ginning:
Here the cotton fibres are separated from seeds and impurities in the ginning mills. And the final product is a cleaned fibre. And it is ready for industrial use.
Process of Spinning:
The conversion of cotton fibers happens. The conversion of spun into yarn results here.
Weaving/Knitting:
The conversion of Yarns into fabric happens.
Dyeing and Finishing:
The fabric undergoes the following processes to get the suitable final Product.
- For dyeing purposes,
- For printing purposes,
- For finishing purposes.
Garment Manufacturing:
Fabrics are cut down and sewn into various garments and textile products.
Types of Cotton Textiles
The following are the famous types of cotton textiles produced in this textile industry in India
Khadi:
Khadi is a hand-woven fabric. It is made from cotton. And it is typically used for clothing. The other name for khadi is “homespun cloth”.
Calico Type:
Calico is often printed with patterns. It is a plain-weave cotton fabric. It is for making
- Garments,
- Bedding,
- And other household items.
Muslin:
Muslin is a finely-woven cotton fabric. Plain plain and patterned can be created with muslin fabric. Shirts, dresses, and other garments are produced from muslin.
Denim:
Denim is a sturdy cotton twill fabric. It is used for manufacturing garments such as shirts and jackets. It is blue in color and it is most commonly used for making jeans.
Chambray:
Chambray is a lightweight cotton fabric. It has a plain weave that can be either solid-colored or patterned. It is used for manufacturing shirts, dresses, and other garments.
Favourable Government Initiatives for Cotton Textile Industry
The government of India has been providing major support for the growth of cotton textile industries. The Indian government is actively promoting the cotton textile manufacturing businesses through various schemes and initiatives. It has enacted certain policies for the promotion of cotton textile businesses.
A Brief on Recent Schemes Related to Cotton Textile Industry Sector in India.
ATUFS (Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme)
This scheme is about the Credit Linked Capital Investment Subsidy (CIS) for cotton exports. Here the cotton exports are marked with “Make in India” with “Zero Effect and Zero Defect” from their manufacturing place.
NERTPS (North-East North-East Region Textile Promotion Scheme)
This scheme is for providing infrastructural, capacity- building and also marketing support to North- East India.
SITP (Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks)
This SITP scheme was launched in 2005. It aims to encourage private investments and employment generations in the textile industry. It is for a good infrastructure. And also for important facilities.
Exports From Cotton Textile Industry in India
Cotton garments from India are well known for their quality. The demand is great around the world. The cotton yarns, and clothes are the most important cotton exports. The readymade cotton garments export increased drastically from 1960. India has been exporting regularly to
- USA,
- Russia,
- United Kingdoms,
- And Sri Lanka.
Economic and Social Impact of Cotton Textile Industry
The cotton textile industry’s contribution to global trade and employment is great. It is a vital source of employment for millions of people in India. Its contribution to GDP is excellent. And it generates very good export revenues. It indirectly links agriculture with industrial manufacturing. Cotton textiles are very dominant in apparel. And also it significantly contributes to
- Home furnishings,
- Healthcare textiles,
- And even for automotive materials.
It supports the other industries linked to
- Medical supplies,
- Dyes,
- And currency production.
Hurdles For Cotton Textile Industry in India
The cotton textile industry in India has been facing the following major challenges
Irregular Power Supply:
India is facing erratic power supply issues. There is no consistency. And also the power supply is insufficient.
Problems with Outdated Machinery:
India is still using 2 to 3 decades old machinery. The total might be 60-70% of the machinery in India. New machineries are the need of the hour.
Frequent strikes:
The frequency of strikes is great. It affects the production and the outputs. There must be control on the strike rates.
Efficiency of Indian Workers:
The capacity of an Indian worker is two looms on an average. Whereas the capacity of a worker is 30 looms in Japan and 60 looms in the USA. The labour productivity is low. And it affects productivity.
Level of Competition:
Stiff competition in terms of handloom and power loom production.
Shortage of Raw Cotton:
India has been facing a shortage since the partition. Some of the cotton growing areas went to Pakistan.
Conclusion
- The cotton textile industry is a significant contributor to India’s GDP and export earnings.
- The government of India provides excellent support to the growth of the cotton textile industry sector.
- Several automated processes are introduced in Cotton textile manufacturing.
- The future of the cotton textile industry in India looks very encouraging.
