Apparel inc protests rising yarn prices

The Indian apparel industry on Friday observed a nationwide agitation in protest against the continuously rising prices of cotton yarn.

Around 50,000 manufacturing units from power loom, handloom and made-up segments across the country participated in the strike and shut their operations for a day.

Manufacturing units in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and West Bengal were the major protestors.

“Most of the apparel manufacturers across segments kept their operations shut in support of their demands against increasing cotton yarn prices. As every apparel manufacturer is suffering because of this issue, we received a good response to our call for today’s strike. It highlights the gravity of the problem and now the time has come for the government to intervene and consider our demands,” said Premal Udani, chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).

The AEPC representatives and other industry forums participating in the strike met the secretary, ministry of textiles, Rita Menon, in New Delhi and handed over a memorandum of the industry’s demands.