Power Loom weavers starts ‘Stop yarn purchase stir’ in Erode

Powerloom weavers have stopped purchase of cotton yarn from Wednesday, as part of their protest against the ‘unbearable’ hike in yarn prices.

Powerloom weaving is the most important economic activity in Erode district next only to agriculture. Photo : M. Govarthan

“We are having enough orders from various places, but could not cater the orders due to the hike in yarn price, which has necessitated the powerloom weavers to increase the price of the product. But the buyers are reluctant to pay more. Under such circumstances we have decided to stop the procurement of yarn from Wednesday,” Chairman of the Tamilnadu Power Loom Owners Federation M.S. Mathivanan said.

The Powerloom weavers have decided to observe fast on April 9 to protest hike in the cotton yarn price.

More than 25,000 powerlooms alone are functioning in Erode district and parts of Namakkal district. Because of the non-purchase of cotton yarn, operation of the looms will be affected and consequently production will be hit heavily.

The Union Textile Ministry has been appraised of the weavers’ plight by the Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL). It wanted the Union Government to take steps to reduce the yarn price and also ban export of cotton yarn.

Prices of all varieties of textile goods registered an increase in the Erode Textile weekly market due to the increase in cotton yarn price, President of Erode Textile Market Merchants Association Noor Sait said.

He said they have decided to participate in the strike called by the Erode Handloom Weavers Association on April 8.