Ahmedabad,
Gujarat
The pandemic-hit textile industry in
Surat is reeling under the workforce migration issues and restrictions imposed
due to the COVID situation. According to the Federation of Gujarat Weavers
Association (FOGWA), in Surat, the migration of 25% of the work force and the
curfew timings have adversely affected the textile business resulting in a 22%
fall in fabric production as compared to last year.
The cancellation or postponement of wedding
celebrations and market shutdowns in states such as Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are adding to the woes of textile businesses.
Surat has 65,000 textile trading shops
located across 175 textile trading markets. These markets employ millions of
workers for folding, packing and selling textiles. While the textile business
regained momentum between November 2020 and March 2021, now the situation is
looking grim with many traders and employees testing COVID positive due to the
second wave.
Hoping to keep the markets functional as
long as possible, the Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) has
decided to keep shops open even on weekends. However, the association also
wrote to the Gujarat chief minister suggesting a complete lockdown in Surat.
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