The COVID-19 pandemic has jolted the economy of the whole World. Some countries have managed a strong bounce-back, including Pakistan, but the Indian textile industry faces a massive crisis due to the current scenario. The foreign orders are being shifted to neighboring countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
The major problem is the shortage of the working force as people are afraid to get out of their homes. The lack of oxygen supplies, rising death rates, and infection cases are causing chaos. Migrant workers are more reluctant to join duties, leading to many problems for the textile sector and the country’s GDP.
Mr. Lalit Thukral, the president of The New Approaches to Economic Challenges (NAEC), said, “International buyers, on whom our exporters are dependent, are diverting orders to other Asian countries. We have already lost around 20% of business to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. We need to regularize the situation fast and bring workers back.”
A few industries started to prepare PPEs for survival, but the option is not sustainable as there are no bulk foreign orders in this sector. On the other hand, Pakistan has now recovered from the current wave of COVID-19, and the proper steps taken by the Government have encouraged the textile exporters to increase their production for the international market. If the Government support continues, the temporarily shifted order from India to Pakistan could become regular, and Pakistan’s textile industry has been searching for such opportunity. It is hoped that as a Textile Nation, we will grab this opportunity to flourish our industry and mark a sound presence in the International market.
