Erratic weather leave hosiery Ludhiana’s industry scrambling

Unpredictable weather pattern has affected the production and demand cycle, say Ludhiana’s industry representatives

Erratic weather characterised by unrelenting spell of cold weather has left the city’s knitwear and textile industry scrambling, with industry representatives flagging reduced demand stemming from market cash flow constraints and the unpredictable weather pattern.

Ludhiaba’s hosiery industry supplies woollens to not just other parts of Punjab, but neighbouring states as well, (Manish/HT)

Hosiery manufacturers organise their production into four phases. The first involves half-sleeve sweaters produced in July-August, followed by full-sleeve sweaters for mid-winter wear in September-October. The final phase sees the production of full-fledged winter apparel like long coats and jackets in the last leg of production in November and December.

“For manufacturers, such an erratic pattern is a matter of concern. Manufacturers, who initiate production two months in advance, remain unsure about how the weather will turn, ultimately leading to losses,” Knitting and Textile Club general secretary Charanjiv Singh explained.

“Larger companies concluded manufacturing by December 15, and smaller-scale operations were done by November. However, with temperatures dropping in January, the dilemma arises whether to resume production, as there is no assurance that such conditions will persist in the weeks to come,” he added.

Several north Indian states, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu Kashmir, Delhi, and Rajasthan in particular, are key markets for the hosiery sector. However, the absence of snowfall in the mountains and extended sunny days have significantly reduced both local and import demand.

“The export in the hilly region depends on tourism and local weather conditions. As January concludes, no Himalayan region has experienced snow; instead, bright sunshine diminishes orders from both tourists’ perspective and locals,” Akash Sood, owner of Sun Textile Unit, said.

The city’s hosiery sector, among the oldest industries, is renowned for winter garments like sweaters, jackets, thermals, cardigans, pullovers, innerwear and shawls.

Apart from weather challenges, local manufacturing units face fierce competition from cheap fabric imports from China, sold at half the rate of locally produced woollen fabric. Hosiery goods manufacturers attribute declining sales to the influx of China-made winter wear items at significantly lower prices, intensifying their challenges.

“Polyester fabric imported from China poses tough competition to local produce crafted from high-quality wool and wool-silk. Due to the poor post-Covid market cash flow, consumers are opting for cheaper alternatives,” Mridula Jain, founder of Shingora Textiles Private Limited, said.