Coronavirus hits jeans garment industry hard in Rayadurg

Rayadurg (Anantapur): The municipal town of Rayadurg in the district with a population of 72,000, has been a jeans garments exporter to other states in South India and even to abroad. But for over a year, coronavirus had cast its dark shadow on the garments production and sales and thus registering a decline in its exports and production adversely affecting workers and the producers also going through a tough time. The jeans business turnover which crossed Rs 1,200 odd crores annually in the town has fallen to less than 50 per cent.

The town is basically a jeans town and hundreds of retail traders and those running a home based garment shops and scores of traders from Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai come on a daily basis to the garment town and purchase them to sell them in retail market in other towns. Also, scores of women garment traders, who operate from their homes by converting their verandahs into a mini-shop, also purchase jeans garments both for men and women and are making huge money while domestic women are making extra income and bettering their economic a lot.

Kalyanram, a jeans garments producer, bemoans that the coronavirus had has cast its dark shadow on the town affecting more than 35,000 workers in the district and also on jeans production which declined by 50 per cent. Business got badly affected with prices of raw material and transport cost rising. Disruption in transportation due to pandemic, particularly in states like Kerala, Karnataka, AP, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra states also lessened the volume of business and thereby its production. Many retailers are also not able to come due to partial lockdown and buyers shying away from purchases fearing virus. Even home-based business got affected as home visits by friends and buyers have reached a zero point.

Usha Rani, a home-based garment woman trader, told The Hans India that she had taken to this business to supplement the meager financial income of her husband. Rani stated this home-based business is the best bet for housewives, who can sit in the house and safely earn at least Rs10,000 a month. Now, with the second wave in progress, none are visiting homes fearing of virus. The buzz word is self-isolation.

For 35,000 odd workforce their earnings have dipped by 50 per cent. Also, the local producers keeping in view of weddings and festivals, have produced more banking on marriages and festival purchases but restrictions on movement of people and participation in weddings had its bearing on the business volume. Hopes of making up last year's corona first wave losses have dampened the spirits of traders with the second wave hitting hard business and normal life.