Profile & Performance

India has a long tradition in Textiles and at one time the country’s manually operated textile machines were amongst the best in the world. Budgetary concessions, rationalization of duty structure and assistance under the Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) have paid rich dividends in the past. During 2004-05, production of fabric touched a peak of 45,378 million square meters. In the year 2005-06 up to November, production registered a further growth of 9% over the corresponding period of the previous year. In case of export of textiles, after near stagnation in 2004-05, when total export of textile was US$ 13,038.64 million, better prospects seems to be emerging in the current year. During April-November 2005 textile exports were US$ 9,309.81 million, up 8.21% during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Jute textile manufacturing is the most prominent industry in West Bengal due to availability of raw jute in the state. At present there are 59 Jute mills in West Bengal. Main jute products are Hessian, sacking, jute bags, and other items produced by jute. Most of the jute mills are located on the banks of river Hooghly near Kolkata. West Bengal is the leader and pioneer in the country for the manufacturing of Jute textiles. West Bengal’s provisional data for the production of Jute in 2005-06 (April to September), as produced by the West Bengal Economic Review, is 6,24,000 tonnes.

Indian jute industry at a glance

Number of jute mills in India 73
Number of jute mills in West Bengal 59
Number of looms 39,733
Number of spindles 5,07,960

But not only jute textile, West Bengal has traditionally been a major producer of cotton textile as well in the country. If we look at the production of cotton textile in the state we will see a continuously rising trend as shown in the following chart :

Ballyfabs (Kankaria group) is one of the largest manufacturer of jute goods has an annual turnover of US$ 5 billion. The company offers a wide variety of designer jute products like Bags, Purses, Backs, Wine bottle bags, rugs, floor coverings etc.

Policies & Plans

The West Bengal Government is undertaking a number of policies to develop a strong & vibrant textile industry that can produce good quality cloth at reasonable prices to meet the growing needs of the people & to contribute to the provision of sustainable employment along with economic growth of the state. The Government will encourage the industry to increase its share in the global market.

The major thrust areas of the policy are :

Private sector will be encouraged to set up world-class, environment-friendly, integrated textile complexes & textile processing units in the state. The State is also planning to set up a couple of Jute Park in the state to promote jute textiles. Government will also promote revitalization of the working of Textile Research Associations (TRA) to focus research on the industry needs.

Potential

Why West Bengal?

With the withdrawal of restrictive quotas by the World Trade Organization (WTO), (Uruguay round 1994, where it is decided that no import quota will be levied on textile among others, on member counties), the government of West Bengal has drafted a comprehensive strategy to tap the opportunities that has emerged out of it. The government has identified Bardhaman, Bankura, Birbhum and South 24 Parganas for the cultivation of cotton and has already completed the soil testing in the respective areas. The main strengths of the State in this sector is due to the following attributes:

Products & Services (Illustrative List)

Different and newer areas have been identified in both the jute and cotton textiles, which have increased the investment potential in the respective industries together with the traditional products: