According to provisional figures from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics, Kolkata, textile exports rose to $17,079.57 million in the 2005-6 period compared with $14,026.72 million in 2004-5 and $13,496.31 million in 2003-4. Import figures also increased to $2,699.23 million in 2005-6 from $2,266.15 million the previous year and $2,034 million in 2003-4.

The government has imposed a combination of ad-valorem and specific duties on a ‘whichever is higher basis’ on imports of a number of textile and clothing items to safeguard the interests of domestic industry from cheap imports as well as taking measures to boost textile exports.