Despite rising demand in the months of August and September, apparel exports in the first half of the financial year was down by 1.3 per cent with UAE taking a major share in the lacklustre performance of the sector.

As per the data from Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), India’s readymade garment exports in April-September this fiscal stood at $8448.8 million resulting in a decline of 1.3 per cent compared to the same period of the last financial year. In the months of April to September, last fiscal, India’s apparel exports roped in $8562.9 million while in rupee terms, there was a marginal growth of three per cent.

In the month of September this year, exports picked up by 12.6 per cent to notch up $1282.9 million as against $1139.2 million in September, 2015. In August also exports grew marginally by 3.7 per cent to take the total to $1329.2 million as against $1281.5 million in August 2015.

However, the first four months of the financial year have been seeing exports declining. In April, shipments fell by 8.1 per cent, came down in May by 5.3 per cent, in June by 0.8 per cent and in July by 6 per cent.