Co-optex to shut 10 showrooms in Tamil Nadu, neighbouring states

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to shut 10 Co-optex showrooms in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states, even as the handloom cooperative ordered officials to exhaust existing home textile stocks and stop fresh procurement for these outlets.

The showrooms are at Salem (Hosur Old), Cuddalore (Mangai), Tirunelveli (Senthil), Vijayawada (Guntur, Machilipatnam, Srikakulam New, Nellore, Parlakhemundi), Mumbai (Ponda Goa), and Vellore (Vandavasi), said an official report.

The report shows the closure process is at different stages, with sales withdrawn at some outlets, premises being vacated and legal proceedings underway in others. At Nellore, the building has been handed over to the owner, while at Ponda, the case is to be withdrawn and sales continued until August.

Co-optex Chief General Manager K Sankar, in a communication dated August 15, directed managers of Design and Production to stop procurement of home textile products until further orders. The directive said existing stocks should be exhausted and no further fresh purchases be made.

The order covers bedsheets, bedspreads, towels, furnishings, bags, quilts and other home textile products. It also applies irrespective of production plans or inputs already issued for 2026-27.

Where production inputs have already been issued, but goods not procured, further purchase has been ordered to be kept in abeyance. Any exceptional requirement must be referred to the Head Office with full justification and prior approval.