India’s Tamil Nadu state will set up export guidance centres at ten places: Karur, Tiruppur, Madurai, Ambur,Thoothukudi, Pollachi, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Coimbatore and Hosur, state minister for micro, small and medium enterprises T M Anbarasan recently told the 13th conference of MSMEs organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The purpose behind the centres is to raise the share of exports from Tamil Nadu, which currently is 9.25%

A hub of textile spinning and weaving mills, Coimbatore is also known as the Manchester of South India.

The centres will offer information related to export opportunities and details of products in demand abroad for the benefit of exporters, traders and industrialists. They could also seek information about the availability of raw materials abroad, a top South Indian English-language daily reported.

Only 16 firms had set up their units at the industrial estate for textiles at Punjaikalakurichi, said Anbarasan. 84 plots out of 100 had not been sold out yet. Selling of the plots to other entrepreneurs besides textile promoters was under contemplation, he added.