Staff Reporter | 16 Jul, 2008
The 41st India International Garment Fair organized by Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) gets underway in Gurgaon today.

The fair is being organized by AEPC in association with other garment associations, offering a bouquet of products for all types of buyers in a price range of $2 to $50 and will last till July 19 .

For the first time, Indian retailers like Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Trent Ltd, Globus Stores, Future Group, Reliance Retail Ltd, and Vishal Retail Ltd have also been invited to the fair, indicating the importance being attached to the growing domestic market, he said.

The show is expected to be attended by 3,000 visitors including buying houses, department stores, designers, distributors, garment manufacturers, importers, retailers and wholesalers. The last season of the fair registered 517 buyers from 62 countries who interacted with 280 participants. This time around, 300 participants have registered.

Among the important buying houses expected are Impulse, Next, Colveta, Espirit, Walmart, Carrefour H&M and Li Fung. Some of the major buyers expected are Court Casuals, DGM Fashions and Positive Australia Fashion from Australia; Stepgrade Ltd, Goria Ltd, and Leaflace and, Bruna Fashion Ltd from UK; HI Class Emporium Ltd from Thailand; Aita, HHG, Alca Design, Duiker S.L. from Spain; Entre Ciel et Mer, Distriworld, Flo Mazet and Toshie lo rue from France.

A ten-member delegation from Myanmar, led by Commerce Minister of Myanmar, will be coming specially to attend the fair.

Apparel exports in 2007-08 were around US$ 9400 million as against US$ 8901 million last year, a growth of 5.6%. The gain has been mainly due to the growth in exports to the EU, which have grown by 11%.
 
In the US market India's exports stagnated in 2007-08. In April 2008, there were signs of recovery. However, in May again India's exports have recorded a decline of about 1.79%. Although this is better than the overall imports of USA, which have declined by 3.84% during this period, as also China's growth rate, which has plunged to (-) 5.86%, there is little solace in the fact that Bangladesh has recorded a growth of  6.29% during this period, overtaking India in the US market.
 
It is also of concern to note that the important export items of India to the USA, like  Knit and woven Shirts for men and women , cotton Trousers, Cotton Dresses, cotton undergarments and baby garments - all registered a negative growth in May 2008.