As per the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), the exports of Indian garments have dropped. The decline has been by 2.64 per cent to end at $10.64 billion for the year 2009-10. For the previous year the figure stood at $10.93 billion.

If calculated in terms of rupees, however, the increase was very less. It was up by merely 0.37 per cent. The apparel exports stood at Rs 50,479 crore in 2009-10 which was Rs 50,293 crore in 2008-09. But if one calculates in terms of dollars, the value has decreased. Only in the months of July, August and November, the numbers did not come down.

Talking about this, the Chairman of AEPC, Premal Udani said that the exporters who are part of the garment industry are facing tough times because of the rising price of yarns and fabrics.

He further added that in the last four months, the industry has seen an increase of 50-80 per cent in the prices of basic raw materials. And because of this, the recovery phase in the world market is also not having any impact on the segment.