TEXTILES INDUSTRY – COTTON TEXTILES
Agro-based Industries
Cotton, jute, silk, woollen textiles, sugar and edible oil, etc. industries are based on agricultural raw materials.
Textile Industry:
The textile industry occupies a unique position in the Indian economy because it contributes significantly to industrial production, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings. It is the only industry in the country, which is self-reliant and complete in the value chain i.e., from raw material to the highest value-added products.
Figure 6.3: Value addition in the textile industry
Cotton Textiles
In ancient India, cotton textiles were produced with hand spinning and handloom weaving techniques. After the 18th century, power-looms came into use. Our traditional industries suffered a setback during the colonial period because they could not compete with the mill-made cloth from England.
In the early years, the cotton textile industry was concentrated in the cotton-growing belt of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Availability of raw cotton, market, transport including accessible port facilities, labour moist climate, etc. contributed towards its localisation. This industry has close links with agriculture and provides a living to farmers, cotton boll pluckers and workers engaged in ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing, designing, packaging, tailoring and sewing. The industry by creating demands supports many other industries, such as, chemicals and dyes, packaging materials and engineering works.
While spinning continues to be centralised in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, weaving is highly decentralised to provide scope for incorporating traditional skills and designs of weaving in cotton, silk, zari, embroidery, etc. India has world-class production in spinning, but weaving supplies low quality of fabric as it cannot use much of the high-quality yarn produced in the country. Weaving is done by handloom, power loom and in mills.
The handspun khadi provides large scale employment to weavers in their homes as a cottage industry. India exports yarn to Japan. Other importers of cotton goods from India are the U.S.A., U.K., Russia, France, East European countries, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and African countries.
Figure: India: Distribution of cotton, woollen and silk industries
We have a large share in the world trade of cotton yarn. Our spinning mills are competitive at the global level and capable of using all the fibres we produce. The weaving, knitting and processing units cannot use much of the high-quality yarn that is produced in the country. There are some large and modern factories in these segments, but most of the production is in fragmented small units, which cater to the local market. This mismatch is a major drawback for the industry. As a result, many of our spinners export cotton yarn while apparel/garment manufactures have to import fabric.
Although we have made a significant increase in the production of good quality long-staple cotton, the need to import is still felt. Power supply is erratic and machinery needs to be upgraded in the weaving and processing sectors in particular. Other problems are the low output of labour and stiff competition with the synthetic fibre industry.
More to know
* The first successful textile mill was established in Mumbai in 1854.
* The two world wars were fought in Europe, India was a British colony. There was a demand for cloth in the U.K. hence, they gave a boost to the development of the cotton textile industry
* Suppose that yarn is sold at Rs. 85 per kg. If it is sold as a trouser it fetches Rs 800 per kg. Value is added at every stage from fibre to yarn to fabric and to the garment.
Activity
1. Why did Mahatma Gandhi lay emphasis on spinning yarn and weaving khadi?
2. Why is it important for our country to keep the mill sector loomage lower than the power loom and handloom?
3. Why is it important for us to improve our weaving sector instead of exporting yarn in large quantities?
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
JUTE TEXTILES
India is the largest producer of raw jute and jute goods and stands at second place as an exporter after Bangladesh. Most of the mills are located in West Bengal, mainly along the banks of the Hugli river, in a narrow belt.
Factors responsible for their location in the Hugli basin are: proximity of the jute producing areas, inexpensive water transport, supported by a good network of railways, roadways and waterways to facilitate the movement of raw material to the mills, abundant water for processing raw jute, cheap labour from West Bengal and adjoining states of Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Kolkata as a large urban centre provides banking, insurance and port facilities for the export of jute goods.
Challenges faced by the industry include stiff competition in the international market from synthetic substitutes and from other competitors like Bangladesh, Brazil, Philippines, Egypt, and Thailand. However, the internal demand has been on the increase due to the Government policy of mandatory use of jute packaging. To stimulate demand, the products need to be diversified. The main markets are the U.S.A., Canada, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, U.K . and Australia. The growing global concern for environment-friendly, biodegradable materials, has once again opened the opportunity for jute products.
More to know
* The first jute mill was set up near Kolkata in 1855 at Rishra. After Partition in 1947, the jute mills remained in India but three-fourth of the jute producing area went to Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan).
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK
SUGAR INDUSTRY
India stands second as a world producer of sugar but occupies first place in the production of gur and khandsari. The raw material used in this industry is bulky, and in haulage its sucrose content reduces. The mills are located in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. Sixty percent of mills are in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This industry is seasonal in nature so, it is ideally suited to the cooperative sector. Can you explain why this is so?
In recent years, there is a tendency for the mills to shift and concentrate in the southern and western states, especially in Maharashtra, This is because the cane produced here has a higher sucrose content. The cooler climate also ensures a longer crushing season. Moreover, the cooperatives are more successful in these states.
Major challenges include the seasonal nature of the industry, old and inefficient methods of production, transport delay in reaching cane to factories and the need to maximise the use of baggase.
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK