An online survey conducted by the Federation of Gujarat Weavers Welfare Association (FOGWWA) has highlighted mounting distress within the textile weaving sector, with a significant majority of unit owners favouring production cuts amid a prolonged industry downturn.
The survey, which gathered 2,800 responses from weaving unit owners, association leaders and cluster representatives, was designed to assess industry sentiment and identify potential measures to address the crisis. Respondents were asked whether a formal meeting should be convened and to what extent production should be curtailed, with options ranging from two to 30 days.
Findings revealed that 85% of participants supported reducing output, underscoring the severity of the challenges facing the sector.
According to Ashok Jirawala, President of FOGWWA, the primary factors driving the crisis include a sharp rise in yarn prices, weak demand for textiles and labour-related constraints. He stated that workers were also raising concerns about shortages of cooking gas and warned that many could return to their native places if conditions failed to improve.
Industry participants indicated that yarn prices have risen by nearly 50%, even as demand for fabric remains subdued. Atul Patel, a weaver, noted that the sector was facing a dual pressure of escalating input costs and weak market demand, leaving producers with little choice but to scale back operations.
The survey findings suggest that a large section of the weaving industry views production cuts as an immediate and necessary response to stabilise operations in the face of rising costs and slowing demand.
