We at present need an agency that can promote the variety of products of the apparel market to companies and whole sellers, rather than delegates organizing close door meetings. The foreign buyers should be identified and persuaded to attend buyer-seller meets and highlight the positivity of working with Indian exporters. These meets will encourage better communication and trade practices among the buyers and suppliers. Moreover, a comprehensive study should be done on Bangladesh and China and find out the reasons as to how and why they are ahead of us. This is a very vast topic and Government should take serious view for promoting skills and also look for labour reforms in manufacturing sector to make Indian exports competitive. Countries like Denmark, Holland, Germany and Argentina are a few good markets, which need to be tapped and developed.

Shishir Kapoor, MLK Exports, Lucknow

Taking a few delegations to new markets will surely be of help but you must take new factories/exporters from different zones to these new markets and not just the prominent ones. AEPC should promote the Indian garment through advertisements in media. Various promotional advertisements in international airlines about garment exports from India and its possibilities is a good way to capture international buyers. Freelance agents should be located in new markets so that exporters can contact them by paying some commission and enhance business. The new markets that according to me should be captured now are South America, South Africa and Russia.

Ravi Poddar, Cheer Sagar, Jaipur

Yes, lots of steps are required from both AEPC as well as the Government side. Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Australia and New Zealand need to be explored more. These are some of the important countries for sending delegations and widen the scope for export market. At present much of the business share is being taken from us by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and China.

We are far behind these countries in some aspects. Benefits of SEZs in the country should also be increased to boost the export business in India. Cotton should not be exported out of country which is already scarce with us and which leads to hike in raw materials. It is AEPC and the Government that can boost the scope of export market.

Atman Shah, Artex Apparel, Ahmedabad

The Government should now target European and the Middle East countries besides China. Middle East should be more keenly targeted as the buyers there are taking interest in Indian garments, especially our designs. The cotton fabric is also quite popular among the countries of the Middle East and India’s strength lies in cotton. Moreover, the prices that we offer them are of their choice and the quantities they order are small. The Government in order to promote the exports should organize buyer/seller meets from time to time and also allow greater participation in fairs and exhibitions held in Middle Eastern countries. Moreover, the Government should also provide better facilities to the exporters and the price factor that has become a major problem for the industry should be seriously worked upon.

Vijay Singh, Shilpayan Décor, Jaipur

Yes, the need of the hour is to develop new markets. But the choice of the market has to be done judiciously keeping in mind the market potential and the purchasing power and taste of the people of that market. Taking delegations do help, but more importantly the buyer-seller meetings will help. However, the Government should subsidize such buyer-seller meetings so that more and more exporters participate.

Rajeev Bansal, Celestial Knits & Fabs, Noida

A positive point of recession is that new markets have emerged in this adverse situation, as traditional exporters would take time in revival. Focus should be on Eastern European countries and developing countries of former USSR such as Kazakhstan.

There is no harm in sending delegations to new markets but their role should be to analyze the real demand of apparel of these markets and formulating uniform terms and conditions for exports in consultation with respective Governments.

Alok Saraf, Saraf Gartex, Jaipur