The United States turned out to be the largest importer of handmade carpets and other floor covering from India during the last three fiscal years, according to the data with the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC).
Minister of Textiles, Mr. Anand Sharma, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, gave provisional figures of country-wise exports of handmade carpets and other floor coverings for the fiscal years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
The US imported Rs. 11.499 billion worth of handmade carpets from India out of the total Rs. 25.053 billion worth of exports made by the country during fiscal year 2009-10. In 2010-11, the US accounted for Rs. 11.746 billion of the overall Rs. 29.927 billion worth of handmade carpets exported by India.
Similarly, the US contributed Rs. 17.947 billion to the Rs. 45.830 billion worth of handmade carpet exports made by India in 2011-12.
In the current fiscal year, up to January 2013, India exported handmade carpets worth Rs. 44.058 billion. The country-wise export data for the current year is yet to be compiled, the Minister said.
