The recently concluded online bidding process of textile quota in China for textile and clothing export to US was one of its kind in the history of textile trade. The bidding commenced for 60% of all quotas set for public bidding for next year. However, the on-line bid for export quotas on 21 restricted categories of textiles too has caused congestion on the official website. Almost 28,296 qualified textile firms have joined the bidding for quotas which itself is a large number and higher by almost 7000 in numbers compared to the number of firms having shown interest for EUropean Union quota. Due to the congestion, the managing body had to prolong the bid period by 24 hours. textile export to the United States for some restricted categories has been closed for over six months, since the US Government levied safeguard measures on Chinese textiles. After companies get quota, they now would be able to sign export contracts with importers in the EU or the United States.
It needs no mention that textile firms are quite upbeat about getting some export quota to the most preferred market which led to fierce competition and resulting hike in bidding price. According to industry sources, severe contest in the first public bid for China's textile quota to the US next year have pushed the bid price by more than 10 times of the minimum bid prices set by the government. For example, the minimum bid price
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| for men's woolen trousers was 12 yuan (1.5 US dollars) per dozen, while the bid opening price was 192 yuan (US$ 23.8) per dozen, 15 times more than the minimum bid price, according to figures received from the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of textiles. Similarly, the minimum bid price of cotton trousers was 8 yuan per dozen, while the bid opening price was 102.14 yuan per dozen, 12 times more than the minimum price!
Even the Chinese firms are hopeful of getting buyers that would compensate the price for the quota. However, this astonishingly high price for quota would definitely be a burden either on the supplier, retailer or the final consumers who always have to bear the brunt. In the post quota regime, buyers and consumers expected a competitive pricing of products and even price drop noticed across the textile and clothing goods. This increase in cost of goods would surely reduce buyer's interest on Chinese goods which in turn can be a blessing on other textile and clothing supplying countries like India, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and others. Since, India is the most preferred sourcing destination for textile and clothing for overseas buyers, time has come for Indian textile exporters to evaluate the size of the opportunity and encash it. The trade restrictions against Chinese textiles have already created a gap in the demand supply situation in the buyers markets where high quota price in China would make Indian products cheaper to buyers. 
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