New Delhi, Nov 7 (KNN) In a long awaited move to make export of Khadi, exclusively categorised from the general league of textile products, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries has allocated separate HS code for this signature fabric of India this week.

HS code is a six-digit identification code developed by the World Customs Organization and is used by customs officers to allow products to cross international borders. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, in a statement by Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ministry on Wednesday.

He further said that earlier, Khadi did not have its exclusive HS code. As a result, all the data regarding export of this signature fabric used to come as a normal fabric under the textile head. Now, we will be able to keep a constant eye not only on our export figures, but it will also help us in planning our export strategies.

According to the ministry, Khadi and Village Industries products are eco-friendly and natural, and are in great demand in the International Markets. Recognising it’s potential to generate exports and its eco-friendly importance, the Ministry of Commerce had accorded deemed Export Promotional Council Status (EPCS) to KVIC in 2006, to boost the export of Khadi products. However, in the absence of separate HS code, the export of Khadi products was difficult to categorize and calculate.

The KVIC Chairman added that getting exclusive HS code would have remained a mirage for KVIC, had Union MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman not taken personal interest in it.

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