Walmart’s suggestion spurned by FOSTTA members

The Walmart experts suggestion to transfer grey fabrics directly from powerloom weaving units to textile dyeing and printing mills in order to ease traffic congestion in the two square kilometre area on Ring Road has been disregarded by the member of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA).

According to FOSTTA members, only 10 percent of the textile traders have their warehouses located in the peripherial areas of the city, while most of the small traders have no option but to stock the fabric in their shops and godowns in the markets.

Sources said that the Walmart experts had suggested that the textile traders must ensure that grey fabric from their weaving units do not enter into the two square kilometre area of Ring Road. Around 2.5 crore metre of fabric is brought into the textile markets by the tempowalas from the weaving units, causing traffic congestion.

According to the Walmart experts, the grey fabric dealers and traders should go out and deal with the weavers at their units and send the fabric directly to the textile processing units. This will help in de-clogging the textile market area on Ring Road.

FOSTTA secretary Champalal Bothra said that they welcome the suggestion given by Walmart experts, but not bringing grey fabric to the markets is not feasible for more than 80 percent of the traders. The grey fabrics are purchased beforehand and sent to the textile processing units as per the requirement of the buyers. Until then, the traders have to store the fabric in their shops and godowns in the market.

According to Bothra, only 15 to 20 percent of the traders have big godowns in the city, located outside the textile market area. They purchase the grey fabric in lots and send it to the textile mills for processing as and when the orders are placed by the buyers from across the country.

FOSTTA president Manoj Agarwal said that although small traders purchase less than 48 bundles or takas of grey from weavers. The stock is delivered by small tempos in market. The small traders are likely to feel the pinch, if they stopped taking delivery of grey fabric in the market.