Export-oriented apparel production in India and other South Asian countries has the potential to create more and better jobs at a time when nearly one million people are expected to enter the workforce every month for the next three decades, a World Bank report said.
The report titled Stitches to Riches? Apparel Employment, Trade and Economic Development, launched in New Delhi yesterday is aimed at demystifying the global and South Asian apparel markets, estimating the potential gains in exports and jobs, and identifying policies that can unleash South Asia’s export and job potential compared with those of their closest competitors in the Southeast Asia region (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia).
As wages increase, China, the largest apparel manufacturer for the last 10 years, is expected to slowly relinquish its lead position in the global apparel market, opening the door to other competitors. This could be a huge opportunity for India and other South Asian countries. Even a 10 per cent increase in Chinese apparel prices could create at least 1.2 million new jobs in the Indian apparel industry, the report estimates.
Women are expected to benefit the most as their share in the total apparel employment is much higher than their share in other industries. A one per cent increase in expected wages in the textiles and apparel industry could raise the probability of women entering the labour force by 18.9 per cent, the report said.
“Apparel manufacturing not only has a huge potential for creating jobs, particularly for the poor but also has a unique ability to attract female workers. Employed women are more likely to create positive social impacts as they tend to spend their income on the health and education of children,” Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director, India said. “Rising costs of apparel manufacturing in China provides a window of opportunity for India to focus on apparel in productively employing its huge working-age population.”
The top four apparel producers in South Asia – Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – have made big investments in world apparel trade and account for 12 per cent of global apparel exports. India also has a more diversified export structure and has a well-developed fibre (cotton), textile and apparel manufacturing base.
The report suggests that India needs to increase product diversity, improve productivity and market diversity as well as shorten lead times to raise the level of apparel exports.
