Govt removes export ban on surgical drapes, isolation aprons

New Delhi, Jul 21: The government on Tuesday removed export ban on surgical drapes, isolation aprons, surgical wraps and X-Ray gowns.

All other items including other types of medical coveralls of all classes and categories continue to remain prohibited for export, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

A notification dated June 22 is amended "to the extent that only surgical drapes, isolation aprons, surgical wraps and X-Ray gowns are removed from prohibition under the medical coveralls of all classes and categories," it said.

Meanwhile, partially relaxing export norms, the government on Monday permitted shipments of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) medical coveralls for COVID-19 with an export quota of 50 lakh units per month.

The product was banned for export earlier, but has now been moved to the restricted category, under which an exporter would have to seek a licence from the government for shipments.

Earlier on June 22, the government had decided to continue exports ban only on specific PPE such as medical coveralls of all classes and goggles.

For the first time, on January 31, India had banned export of all PPE including clothing and masks.

Hailing the decision, Apparel Export Promotion Council of India (AEPC) Chairman A Sakthivel said the government should also allow export of N95 masks.

The decision to permit export of PPE medical coveralls has opened the entire global market for domestic players who were fast enough to seize this opportunity of producing and supplying PPE kits as the world struggles to control coronavirus pandemic, Sakthivel said.

The production of PPE is more than sufficient to cater to the needs of the country and allowing exports of such items will not only help the health workers across the world, but also support the revival of the apparel industry in the country, he added.

The council has been requesting the government to allow these exports as the production of PPE has increased to over 8 lakh units per day.

"A single mask manufacturing machine can produce one lakh pieces per day and we have more than 200 such machines currently," he said.

The government should soon extend the export opportunity for N95 masks as well, he said, adding that the size of the global market for PPEs is more than USD 60 billion for the next five years.

The chairman further said that India is in competition with countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan as they have lifted the ban on PPE exports and are receiving huge orders from large buyers in the US and Europe.