GST has not helped garment exports: Traders to Parliamentary committee

Exporters demand greater tariff support, higher drawback rates; say trade may dip soon

Garment exporters have told Parliament's standing committee on commerce that they are yet to see any benefit from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), with no decrease in input costs.

A delegation of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) also said shipments might dip in the globally competitive market. Bangladesh and Vietnam, for instance, have cost advantages on account of preferential trade agreements with major export markets and buyers are moving to these destinations for sourcing.

As a result, they have warned, they might be forced to shed jobs.

GST's compliance requirements, they've complained, has strained their time and cost resources. "The overall