Chennai, Mar 17 (IANS): The South Indian Hosiery Manufacturer Association has called upon the Centre to ban the export of yarn and fabric and bring yarn under the Essential Commodities Act.

Talking to IANS, association President C. Easwaran said: "We demand a total ban on the export of yarn and fabric from our country and to bring them under the Essential Commodities Act, otherwise the Tiruppur garment industry will turn into a memory."

The Tiruppur exporters forum had called for a one-day strike in the garment industry on Monday against the hike in yarn prices and the non-availability of raw materials. The strike was supported by 30 industrial associations of Tiruppur and eight trade unions.

Tiruppur Exporters Association President Raja M. Shanmugham told IANS that the strike was to highlight the plight of the industry to the authorities. "The yarn prices are at an all-time high and the raw material is not delivered on time."

"The high yarn prices coupled with non-delivery of the raw material on time is affecting our garment industry and there is nothing which we can do other than shutting down the companies."

The representatives of the industry and the trade unions also informed the District Collector of the dire situation the industry is facing.

Major international brands are outsourcing their work to the Tiruppur garment industry and the non-delivery of the finished materials in time will lead to loss of major orders, thus affecting the garment industry.

Shanmugham said: "There are more than 10,000 workers and allied staff who are employed at the Tiruppur garment industry. If there is no proper intervention in the price of yarn, the industry will be shut down and these workers will lose their jobs."

The price of yarns has gone up since December 2020 and generally the price stabilises after a couple of days, but this time the price has not come down, he added.