Powerlooms cast gloom over rayon fabric

COIMBATORE: Perhaps, the survival of ailing powerloom units in Erode hangs on government orders to produce free dhotis and sarees to be given for the Pongal festival as the upcoming Assembly polls in five states have taken a drastic toll on the production of rayon fabric.

“Almost 80 per cent of looms in Erode are operational only because of the government’s work order for the production of dhotis and sarees. There are nil orders for rayon fabric from poll-bound states in Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and MIzoram due to prevailing model code of conduct,” said B Kandavel, organising secretary of Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Associations.

The rayon fabric produced in Erode needs to be sent to Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Jodhpur, Calcutta in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and a few other north states for value additions like dyeing, but the upcoming polls have hampered this process too. Erode is a hub for power loom units manufacturing rayon fabric in Tamil Nadu. For hundreds of powerloom unit owners in Erode, the situation turned grim over the last two months for a multitude of reasons. “Demand for rayon fabric began to dip with the emergence of cheaper alternatives like polyester. In a further blow, the exports had a free fall because of competitive pricing by countries like Bangladesh. And, even though the hiked power tariff was revoked for the power loom sector, the continuing high tariff for allied sectors like spinning, dying, ginning and manufacturing sectors led to an increase in the cost of the end product,” says powerloom owners. Of the total 5.75 lakh looms across Tamil Nadu, as many as 20,000 looms churn out around 1.38 crore sarees and an equal number of dhotis. Their production, which kicked off in September, is expected to be over by next month. Thereafter, the powerlooms will start executing another government order for producing school uniforms for students.

Around one crore metres of casement fabric used in trousers are made in powerlooms in this region. “As against this, around three crore metres of shirting cloth are made in advanced autolooms. Our earnest demand is that the government should change the checked shirting cloth for uniforms into a warp (striped) model as it was earlier. Making this change would enable powerlooms to produce shirting fabric also,” said Kandavel. In addition, the powerloom owners also demanded the government to give orders for the manufacture of uniforms for all government sectors including, transport, hospitals, cleanliness workers in corporations and railways.

“This would ensure round-the-clock job opportunities for workers in the powerloom sector. Currently, uniforms for most government departments are purchased through tenders. Firstly, orders could be given for uniforms worn by corporation sanitary workers and staff in hospitals and other departments thereafter,” demanded the powerloom owners.

Looms turn scrap in Kovai, Tirupur

Powerlooms in Coimbatore and Tirupur, which produce cotton grey fabric, are going silent ahead of Deepavali due to the import of Chinese-made cheap fabrics through Bangladesh.

Faced with a steep downslide, the powerloom owners have been selling their looms for scrap forcing hundreds of workers to go jobless. Thus far, over 50,000 looms have been dismantled and sold for scrap in both districts.

“Of the 30 looms in our unit, twenty were dismantled and remain in a heap in our godown to be sold for scrap. Our hope for the situation to improve has faded away. The looms are sold to meet our expenses.

Last year Deepavali, I paid Rs 2 lakh as a bonus to 13 workers employed in my loom. This time around, I am left with just a single worker. Several lakh workers have lost their only source of livelihood and are moving to other jobs due to a drop in production,” said Era Velusamy, secretary of Tamil Nadu Powerloom Federation.

Of the two lakh powerlooms in Coimbatore and Tirupur district, almost 60 per cent are currently non-functional. Production has dipped from the usual two crore metres of grey fabric per day to just 75 lakh metres due to low demand in the market over the last six months.

Even though a similar distressing situation prevails for the whole of powerloom sector across Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore and Tirupur involved in the production of grey cotton fabric are the worst affected.

Powerlooms produce fabric, which is used to make pillow and bed covers, lungi, window and door screens and petticoats for women.

The cost of imports from China is drastically low such that the price of their made garments is on par with fabrics from powerlooms here.

“Unless the import of Chinese fabrics and garments is stopped, it will be impossible for the powerloom sector to regain a foothold in the market. In fact the situation is only turning from bad to worse over the last two years. Due to the distressing situation, at least one lakh metres of cloth has been stagnated in each of the powerloom units. If the similar crisis continues for another six months, then the whole of powerloom sector will be wiped off entirely,” claimed powerloom unit owners. Even though there were ups and downs in the past too, the traditional weavers say that the downfall of the sector began soon after demonetisation.

“Until a few years ago, workers from other districts and as well as from other north Indian states were employed in our unit. Now, we are without any work and things have changed for the worse. Only three workers are employed now in our unit, as against six workers until a few years ago. As the situation remains grim, many traditional power loom owners in our village have decided to sell off their looms for scrap and switch over to other jobs for livelihood,” said A Balaji from Palladam, who claims to have sold two looms, out of the total 18 looms, for scrap.

As the situation remains grim, many traditional power loom owners in our village have decided to sell off their looms for scrap and switch over to other jobs for livelihood.

The looms which cost around Rs 1.75 lakh are being sold for just around Rs 30,000 by the powerloom owners.

Idle textile units impact jobs in looms

More than 1,500 textile manufacturers in Tirupur and Coimbatore districts have stopped production from Sunday till November 25 against increasing yarn prices and high power tariff.

“High power charges, increase in prices of raw materials, shortage in cotton and various other reasons have hit textile production. Increase in textile imports has also affected the domestic sector. Also, our units couldn’t compete with textile manufacturers from other states due to their low production cost,” said ‘Karipudur’ Sakthivel, organiser of the Textile Manufacturers Association.

Due to the strike, the textile manufacturers have stopped supplying warp yarn to be weaved into grey fabric by powerlooms.More than two lakh looms located in and around areas like Somanur, Karumathampatti, Thottipalayam areas in Coimbatore and in Palladam, Somanur, Avinashi Thekkalur, Mangalam, Kannampalayam and Pudupalayam in Tirupur have begun to face the heat.

More than three lakh workers employed directly and indirectly in the power looms have gone jobless. The strike has also impacted other allied sectors including mills, sizing units and the transportation sector.