Lifting of curbs on export of masks, PPE coveralls hailed

TIRUPUR

: Textile units here praised the Centre for removing the restrictions on export of

medical coveralls

and

N95 masks

.

Monthly export quota of 50 lakh N95 masks and unrestricted export of PPEs will help earn several crores in forex, exporters said.

According to a notification from the directorate general of foreign trade issued on Tuesday, “The export policy for 2/3 ply surgical masks and medical coveralls of all classes and categories has been amended from restricted to free and these coveralls are now freely exportable.’’

The notification also said that the export of N95 masks or its equivalent has been revised from ‘prohibited’ to ‘restricted’ allowing export of up to 50 lakh units per month.

In the initial months of Covid lockdown, when the Indian units started manufacturing medical coveralls and masks, the Centre had banned their export as there was a

huge demand

for the

medical textiles

within the country. Since then, Indian companies increased their production capacity to the extent that the domestic demand was met and there was surplus production.

Now the relaxation is expected to give a fillip to the units manufacturing medical textiles as they can export to other countries. “We have been demanding the relaxation of the export ban for a long time,” said Apparel Export Promotion Council chairman A Sakthivel. Thanking Union minister of commerce Piyush Goel for the decision, Sakthivel said that the move will help manufacturers, particularly in Tirupur, where the textile sector has managed to take baby steps towards medical textiles. “We have a lot of manufacturers making N95 masks in Tirupur,’’ he said.

Exporters said that they have been receiving several inquiries from international buyers for the products but were unable to supply because of the restriction. “Now, we will be able to create additional markets for Tirupur across the world,” Sakthivel said.


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