Latest news with #P.Gopalakrishnan
The Hindu
14-08-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Karur textile exporters face the risk of dip in production and job loss due to Trump tariffs
Textile exporters from Karur, who are hit by high tariffs imposed by the U.S., have sought the immediate intervention of the Union and State government to save the industry. According to industry sources, the U.S. remains one of the largest markets for Indian textiles. Home textile exports originate from the Karur cluster, which has earned a reputation for quality and reliability over decades of trade relationships, and constitute a significant share of the country's exports. The total annual manufacturing value of Karur cluster is pegged at ₹9,000 crore. Of this, exports constitute ₹6,000 crore, predominantly to the U.S. and European Union. The cluster employs about 2 lakh people in production of home textiles such as bed linen, table covers, kitchen cloths, mats, and sofa covers. With the U.S. imposing 50% higher tariffs on Indian goods, the exporters have started feeling the heat. The industry leaders say that the customers based in the U.S. have started demanding heavy discounts for existing orders. Several exporters have received intimation from the buyers to hold shipments. Orders placed recently have been cancelled. 'The recent developments are posing a big challenge to the textile exporters. Holding of shipments or cancelling orders will lead to restricted cash flow. It will eventually lead to a liquidity crisis. Forced discounts and delays have potential for operational losses, thereby leading to job loss for thousands of workers, many of whom are dependent on daily wages,' says P. Gopalakrishnan, president, Karur Textile Manufacturers Association. Highlighting the potential challenges, he said the association had sent a separate memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to take steps to save the industry. Association secretary S. Sukumar said the current situation had the potential to disrupt the supply chain management besides causing slump in production. It was not good for the exporters, who had built their customer base brick by brick over the decades. Mr. Gopalakrishnan said there was an urgent need for an invention by the government to sustain the operations, protect jobs, and maintain global competitiveness. List of demands An additional 24% enhancement in working capital limits without requiring additional collateral and ad-hoc loan facility up to 20% of the turnover of 2024-25 as an emergency loan to address liquidity crunch must be given. Similarly. Interest subvention scheme should be reintroduced to offset higher borrowing costs and maintain competitiveness. A special export incentive of up to 10% for textile exports to the US market to counterbalance the tariff disadvantage should also be given to the exporters.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Sustainability programmes to be implemented in Karur textile cluster
Select exporting companies producing home textile products in Karur will be part of a three-year sustainability programme implemented by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB). Devyani Hari, Senior Director (Programmes) at the CRB, told The Hindu that it is implementing Life Cycle Assessment programme (InTex India) and Eco Innovation programme, funded by the Kingdom of Denmark, as a part of the UN Environment Programme. Karur and Surat apparel clusters have been identified for the Life Cycle Assessment programme and the beneficiaries in Karur will be finalised within a couple of months. The programme, which will run till September 2027, targets small and medium-scale businesses to equip with knowledge and capability to identify environmental hotspots in the life cycle of a product and document the details. The CRB will also work with the Union Ministry of Textiles, form cluster coordination committees, and share inputs for policy formations, she said. According to a press release, at a workshop on 'Advancing Sustainability & Circularity in Karur Textile Cluster', organised recently in Karur by the Karur Textile Manufacturer Exporters Association (KTMEA) along with Karur Handloom Export Cloth Manufacturers Association (KHEXMASS), CII, Karur Knitting and Weaving Factory Owners Association and Karur Dyers & Bleachers Association and the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) and Intellecap, more than 100 textile manufacturers and exporters participated. The aim is to promote sustainability and circularity among the textile and apparel industry in Karur, said a press release. P. Gopalakrishnan, president of KTMEA, emphasised the need for sustainable growth, to stay updated with the latest international and national developments and to showcase the strength and the potential of the Karur cluster. The release added that the InTex India programme will provide hands-on support for Life Cycle Assessment to atleast 15 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and develop a knowledge sharing mechanism to facilitate exchange of knowledge, experiences and success stories across different textile and apparel clusters the country. Under the EU Switch Asia - SME Decarbonization, Intellecap, through its Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF) initiative, will empower SMEs with knowledge, tools, resources and financing to align with global sustainability standards, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in global supply chains. This 42-month initiative focuses on reducing the environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions of 250-400 SMEs across key clusters in India's textile and apparel value chain, including Karur, said a press release.
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Fungal wilt infection damages virichipoo crop in Tiruchi
Fusarium wilt, a fungal disease, has been reported in Ixora (commonly known as virichipoo) plantations in parts of Tiruchi district, causing crop damage and raising concerns among farmers about loss of yield. Over 50 hectares of virichipoo are cultivated in Srirangam and Manachanallur taluks. Farmers say the infection is rapidly spreading from one plant to another, affecting flowering and overall yield, especially during the current season. P. Gopalakrishnan, a farmer from Vayalur, says he lost nearly half of his plants to the disease this summer. 'This is the peak flowering season for us. Following last month's sporadic rain, we started noticing the disease, which typically appears after such weather conditions and gradually spreads to healthy plants, reducing the yield.' Last week, a team of experts, including Murugan, Assistant Director of Horticulture (ADH), Manikandam block, P. Yasodha, Associate Professor of Entomology, and V.K. Sathya, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, visited the affected fields in several villages and identified the infection as fusarium wilt. The team collected samples and issued advisories to farmers for disease management. As part of the recommendations, farmers have been advised to apply Carbendazim (2 g per litre) near the root zone of infected plants for managing the fungal wilt. For root knot nematode management, they have been instructed to apply Pochonia chlamydosporia at 6 ml per tree. Meanwhile, N. Rajendran of Tamil Maanila Congress has urged the government and agriculture research bodies to conduct a detailed study on the recurring nature of the disease, particularly after intermittent rainfall, and to provide feasible long-term solutions to prevent future outbreaks.
