Khadi sales up 28 per cent, production too on the rise

Khadi sales in India have grown 28 per cent this year across segments: fabric, readymade garments or solar vastra. During the last five years, khadi sales have seen a quantum jump every year. Khadi production jumped 17 per cent in 2018-19, compared to seven per cent a year ago. From 2014 to 2018 khadi sales grew at an annual average of over 30 per cent. Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s (KVIC) supply tie-ups with firms like Raymond, Arvind Mills and Aditya Birla Fashion, aggressive marketing and growing interest of public sector enterprises for khadi products for employees have been the biggest drivers of the sales.

Khadi institutions have transformed themselves to cater to the changing needs of time and improved their range of products, with a focus on style. Aggressive marketing, too, has helped. Raymond, for instance, bought as much as 7.26 lakh meters of grey khadi fabric last fiscal, while Arvind Mills purchased around one million square meters of khadi denim. These companies source fabric from khadi institutions to manufacture garments and sell them under their own brand names.

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s revenues come from sale of khadi as well as village industry products such as food products and cosmetics.