The United States has agreed to remove all restrictions on handloom exports from India, paving the way for resumption of negotiations on textiles, which were stalled last month. Following the decision to remove restrictions on handlooms, India may now allow entry of high value textile imports from the US.
The United States is a leading importer of handloom products from India followed by the European Union. The US accounts for around 45 per cent of total exports of Indian handloom products. Foreign buyers get attracted by the traditional designs and vibrant colors of the fabrics.
The Indian handloom industry is the second-largest employment provider for the rural population in India after agriculture. The sector accounts for around 15 per cent of the total cloth produced in the country (excluding wool, silk and yarn). India supplies 95 per cent of the world demand for hand woven fabric. India has about 612 handloom clusters, out of which 53 are located in Andhra Pradesh.
The Handloom Export Promotion Council is a statutory body constituted under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in 1965 to promote the export of all handloom products like fabrics, home furnishings, carpets and floor coverings etc.
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