Surat textile industry loses 15% biz as workers prolong vacation

While some of the Surat-based textile workers are having a gala time at their native places in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa, the industry back here in Gujarat is in further doldrums. If the current slowdown was not enough, the prolonged absence of over 1.5 lakh workers from the job scene has caused the textile industry in Surat a business loss of around 10-15 per cent.

According to industry sources, it is the weaving and embroidery units in the textile value chain that have been hit the most.

"Usually the workers go back to their hometowns for the festival of Holi. This time festival has been followed by a prolonged marriage season due to which the workers have extended their vacation. Hence, given that the industry in Surat employs around eight lakh workers, the absence of over 1.5 lakh workers has affected us a lot. In the recent times, the industry has witnessed a loss in business by 10-15 per cent," said Devkishan Manghani, general secretary of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA).

The Rs 30,000 crore industry in Surat houses around six lakh looms in weaving and around 50,000 embroidery machines, apart from 450 processing houses. Since most of these workers are skilled, their absence has not resulted in easy availability of trained labour, said Manghani.

"While on one hand the workers are on a prolonged vacation, on the other hand units here have not been able to find proper replacements. Units, especially in weaving and embroidery value chain, have been looking for skilled workers for jobs which require precision but in vain," added Manghani.

Collectively, units process around 250 crore metres per day of grey fabric, while the city witnesses additional 50 crore metres per day being sourced from Bhiwandi. Through sales of grey fabric to processing houses, weaving units earn a revenue of Rs 15-20 per metres. With a decline in business by 10-15 per cent, the units are losing revenues worth Rs 5-10 crore, industry sources said.