Maharashtra’s ‘Farm to Foreign’ initiative seeks to position state as global textile, export hub
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Maharashtra’s ‘Farm to Foreign’ initiative aims to connect farmers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and the global fashion industry, positioning the state as a major textile and export hub, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.
Speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Farm to Foreign Conclave 2026’, organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, Shinde said Maharashtra is pursuing a ‘5F’ approach to strengthen the state’s textile value chain and expand its global footprint.
Organised by the ASSOCHAM Maharashtra State Council under the theme “Advancing India’s 5F Vision for Sustainable & Traceable Textile Value Chains,” the conclave brought together policymakers, industry leaders, manufacturers, sustainability experts, and other stakeholders.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, Shinde said the objective was not merely to process agricultural produce within Maharashtra but to create globally recognised brands from the state’s cotton, silk, jute, and other agricultural products.
Building on Maharashtra’s textile legacy
Maharashtra has a long association with the textile industry, with Mumbai’s emergence as the country’s financial capital closely linked to its historic textile mills.
Building on this legacy, the state is developing modern infrastructure and investment opportunities to give the textile sector a new direction, Shinde said. Projects such as the PM MITRA Park in Nagpur and the Amravati Textile Cluster are expected to provide fresh impetus to the industry, generate employment and strengthen the state’s economy.
Shinde said the future of manufacturing would depend not only on increasing production but also on making industries greener, digital, and more transparent.
The state is also promoting ready-made garment clusters in textile centres such as Ichalkaranji and Bhiwandi to create new opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and investment.
“From Maharashtra’s farms to the world’s markets, our textile journey must create value at every step. Our vision is not merely to produce more, but to produce sustainably, traceably and competitively so that every fibre carries the strength of our farmers, the innovation of our industry and the identity of a New India,” Shinde said.
“The 5F vision gives us the roadmap to turn Maharashtra into a global hub for textiles, innovation and value-added manufacturing,” he added.
Focus on women’s employment
The state is also focusing on equipping women with modern tailoring and garment-making skills through initiatives linked to the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme.
By linking skill development with employment and entrepreneurship, these initiatives aim to create opportunities for women to become financially independent, Shinde said.
Taking Paithani, Kolhapuri products global
Maharashtra’s traditional products, including Paithani sarees and Kolhapuri footwear, are also being promoted in international markets.
A Textile, Craft and Cultural Museum is being developed at the historic India United Mill site in Byculla. The museum will showcase Maharashtra’s textile, handicraft and cultural heritage to visitors from India and abroad.
Infrastructure to boost exports
Maharashtra’s expanding infrastructure network is expected to further strengthen the state’s position as a global manufacturing and export destination.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg, Navi Mumbai International Airport and JNPA port will improve connectivity and facilitate faster movement of products manufactured in Maharashtra to domestic and international markets.
Milind Hardikar, Chairman of the ASSOCHAM Maharashtra State Council, said Maharashtra has an important role to play in advancing India’s 5F vision, given its strong industrial base, entrepreneurial ecosystem, manufacturing capabilities, logistics infrastructure and textile sector.
“The 5F vision, Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, is far more than a sectoral roadmap; it is a blueprint for building an integrated, future-ready textile value chain,” Hardikar said.
He said global competitiveness would increasingly depend not only on capacity, productivity and product diversity but also on responsible sourcing, environmental performance, social accountability and end-to-end supply-chain visibility. “India has all the ingredients to lead this transformation. What we need now is greater integration, stronger collaboration and a collective commitment to turning sustainability from a compliance requirement into a source of competitive advantage,” he added.
Chinmayee Deulgaonkar, Chair, Sustainability Sector, ASSOCHAM Maharashtra State Council, in her concluding remarks, stressed the need for coordinated action among policymakers, industry, technology providers, sustainability stakeholders, and other participants to advance India’s 5F vision and build a resilient, sustainable, and globally competitive textile ecosystem.