Cotton duty waiver hands Indian textile exporters a five-month cost reset

Centre suspends 11% cotton import duty from June-October 2026 to plug a 50-70 lakh bale deficit. SIMA, AEPC and CITI back the move, expecting relief for MSME garment exporters battling a 2.2% YoY drop in $35.79 billion FY26 shipments and parity with Asian rivals.

— Filed Sat, 30 May, 2026, 19:07 IST · Source BL · Consumer & Economy · Updated

Centre temporarily waives 11% cotton import duty from June-October 2026, easing raw material costs amid 50-70 lakh bale deficit. SIMA, AEPC, CITI welcome move; expected to boost MSME garment exporters and competitiveness against Asian peers.

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