Ludhiana bicycle makers cancel China visit due to coronavirus scare

In the wake of the coronavirus scare, Ludhiana-based businessmen have cancelled their visits to China and Taiwan where they were to scheduled to participate in international bicycle shows.

"After the rising cases of fatal coronavirus, the upcoming five tours to China and Taiwan have been cancelled," said Gurmeet Singh Kular, president of Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO). The FICO mostly comprises representatives of the bicycle industry.

The industrialists were supposed to participate in Taipei cycle show (March 4 to March 7) in Taiwan, China Plas (April 21 to 24) in Shanghai and Canton Fair Phase I, II and III to be held in April and May, Singh said.

General secretary, FICO, Rajeev Jain said more than 40 industrialists had already made bookings for Taipei Cycle Show.

Fifty had made bookings for China Plas and more than 80 for all three phases of the Canton Fair, he added.

Kular said the largest show of the bicycle industry -- China International Bicycle and Motor Fair 2020 -- to be held on May 6-9 was still under review.

"If situations improve, only then we will continue, otherwise that tour will also be cancelled," he said.

Ludhiana is a major industrial hub, caters to the country's over 90 per cent bicycle and bicycle parts' demand.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain and not seen before.

The virus - which first emerged in Wuhan city in China's central Hubei province - has spread to 25 countries, including India, the US and the UK.

So far three confirmed cases have been reported from Kerala.