Tamil Nadu, India’s leading textile exporting state, witnessed a slight dip in textile exports to $7.1 billion in fiscal year 2023-24 from $7.9 billion in the previous year, according to official data. The share of Tamil Nadu in India’s textile export value also decreased to 20.78% from 22.58% in the earlier year. Specifically, readymade garments accounted for $4.69 billion, cotton yarn/fabrics/made-ups and handloom products for $2.06 billion, and man-made yarn/fabrics/made-ups for $286 million.
Although facing a marginal 2.2% decline, Tamil Nadu’s cotton textile exports grew to $11,683 million, reflecting a positive trend amidst the overall drop in exports. Experts attribute the decrease in exports to high raw material prices, low capacity utilisation, and reduced garment demand globally. Siddhartha Rajagopal from Texprocil and Prabhu Dhamodharan from Indian Texpreneurs Federation suggest that focusing on quality, competitiveness, and diversification strategies can boost Tamil Nadu’s textile sector and drive growth in the upcoming fiscal year.
