Carpet exports up 8.4% in April

NEW DELHI: India's carpet exports grew 8.4 per cent year-on-year to USD 89.3 million in the first month of the 2013-14 fiscal, on account of strong demand in the US, China and Latin American markets.

In April 2012, these exports stood at USD 82.33 million, according to the data provided by the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC).

"The demand for our carpets is rising in emerging markets like the Latin America, Africa and China, besides the US," CEPC Chairman Siddh Nath Singh said.

He said, however, the demand in European market is still sluggish.

The US and European markets account for over 60 per cent of the country's total carpets exports.

The categories that registered maximum growth in April include handmade silk carpets which grew by 26 per cent, followed by handmade tufted carpets 12.26 per cent, handmade woollen knotted carpets 7.13 per cent and synthetic carpets about 5 per cent.

During 2012-13, carpets exports crossed the USD 1 billion mark. The carpet exports sector employs over 1 million people.