INDIAN TEXTILE EXHIBITION OPENS IN MOROCCO TEXTILE EXPORTS TO
MOROCCO SET TO RISE SUBSTANTIALLY
The textile Minister
Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, today inaugurated an exclusive Indian
Textile Exhibition in Casablanca, Morocco. The mega exhibition
provides a fine exposition of India’s rich and diverse textile
capabilities in all segments viz. man-made fibres, cotton, silk
and handlooms. It is one of the largest ever such expositions
with participation of nearly 90 representatives from 50 Indian
companies. The Exhibition has generated a great deal of interest
and enthusiasm among the importers, agents, wholesalers and other
business community leaders of the textile sector of Morocco.
Present on the inaugural
function were Shri Rajagopalan, Ambassador of India in Morocco,
Mr. Abdelali Berrada, Director General, Moroccan Association of
Textile and Clothing, Shri Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, The Synthetic
& Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council of India, Shri Sanjeev
Saran former Chairman of the Council, Shri K.K. Jalan and representatives
of participating Indian Companies, besides business community
leaders of Morocco.
After inaugurating
the Exhibition, Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain visited Mahan Garments
Factory at Casablanca owned by Shri A.K. Sharma, a Non-Resident
Indian which imports large amounts of fabrics from India and exports
jeans to USA etc. Later, Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain held useful
exchanges with his Moroccan counterpart. H.E. Mr. Rachid Talbi
El Alami, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Telecommunications.
The meeting which was held in a cordial and free atmosphere recognized
the complementarities between the two textile economies. The two
Ministers also decided to step up efforts to raise the level of
bilateral textile trade between the two countries.
Morocco is a major
supplier of ready-made garments to the European Countries. Besides,
the export of garments from Morocco to USA would grow substantially
in the near future due to Free Trade Agreement between US and
Morocco. Morocco imports large quantity of fabrics to supplement
the requirements of its growing garment sector. India is in a
position to provide the necessary yarn and fabrics to Morocco
to take advantage of the opportunities offered by its proximity
to EU as well as expected free-trade with USA.
India’s textile exports
to Morocco have been recording impressive growth trends during
the year 2002-03, these exports reached a level of US $38 million
marking a growth of about 40%. The Exhibition provides a unique
opportunity to spread awareness about India’s prowess in textiles
and also facilitate establishment of direct business linkages
between Indian textile companies and their Moroccan counterparts.
The supply of yarn and fabrics to the Morocco’s garment industry
at competitive prices would ensure higher profit margins to the
Moroccan businessmen, which would strengthen mutually beneficial
trade ties and thereby give a fillip to India’s textile exports
to this promising market.
