Talking to newspersons here today, S.P. Oswal, chairman and managing director of Vardhman Spinning and General Mills Ltd and chairman of Texcon'99, said the country must concentrate on garment exports if it is to claim a significant share of the world trade in the next five-seven years.

The garment exports have overtaken those in textiles all over the world, he added.

Owswal said that two-third of the world's textiles at present came from USA and the European Union, but the garments business would shift to countries such as China, India and Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka in the near future. If India can grab even seven per cent of the market, it would translate into annual export earnings of 28 billion dollars from garments alone, he observed.

The Vardhman Spinning chief said that CII would organise a five-day mega event (December 2-6) on textiles - Texcon `99 - with a three-day International Conference on Textiles and Clothing to focus on opportunities for the industry in the new millennium. The issues to be taken up in the conference are domestic market developments, emerging opportunities, strategies for global competitiveness, integration and supply management, effectiveness of ERP and IT in textile industry and policy framework.

In addition, Woolex - an exclusive exhibition on wool and winter wear - would be organised, with a fashion show put together by Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi. The conference-cum exposition would be inaugurated by the Union Textile Minister, Kashiram Rana, on December 2. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal would also be there to promote textile related investments in his state.