The government on Tuesday said that the textile exports from India will double from the current levels within a year of the Multi Fibre Agreement coming to an end.

"At present the textile exports from India stand at Rs 55,000 crore (Rs 550 billion) and by 2006 they will double to Rs 110,000 crore (Rs 1,100 billion)," Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela told newsmen on the sidelines of a conference on textiles organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in New Delhi.

The MFA comes to an end on December 31, 2004.

Of the Rs 55,000 crore worth of textile exports from India, garments account for Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion), fabrics and made-ups for Rs 21,000 crore (Rs 210 billion) and the rest come from handicrafts and other items.

Textiles Secretary S B Mohapatra said that the time has come for the textiles industry to make a quantum jump. "In the next three to four years we will be able to achieve much," he said.

Mohapatra, however, took a conservative view of the growth expected in the textile sector. He said that in the next six to seven years the textile industry in India would touch $65 billion from $32 billion at present. "By 2010, the exports of textiles from India will touch $25 billion from $12 billion at present," Mohapatra said.

Vaghela said that for the growth of the sector raw material availability would have to be improved. "This year cotton farmers got a good price for their produce. We have to see whether two crops of cotton can be taken in a year. I think it is possible," he said.

Mohapatra said India would emerge as a major power in textiles as it has strong raw material and manpower base.