The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Garment Fair

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Garment Fair - 2004 opens

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT.11. Manufacturers from Kolkata, Mumbai, Bellary and Bangalore besides Andhra Pradesh are displaying their wares at the two-day sixth Garment Fair, which began here on Saturday. Over 500 brands at about 100 stalls are on show organised by the AP Garment Manufacturer and Wholesalers' Association at Classic Garden, Balamrai, Secunderabad.

Amitabh Gupta, secretary of the association, which has 126 members, told press persons that the fair was turning out to be a South Indian affair, having attracted both manufacturers and distributors from the region.

Handloom crisis

Inaugurating the event, the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, advised the manufacturers to concentrate on making and marketing of handloom garments so that they could help the crisis-ridden industry in the State.

He said the handloom industry in AP, which was one of the largest producers of handloom cloth in the country, had been passing through a crisis. This year was no different, with lack of marketing facilities for the weavers.

He stated that consumers would like to have clothing at cheaper rates. Since the market for the traditional handloom clothing was falling, it had become difficult for the weaver to earn his living. Hence, it was necessary for the manufacturers to concentrate on different kinds of designs and finding market for them. "By doing so, you will be helping the State as well as weavers earn their livelihood", Mr. Rosaiah told the gathering.

`Neglected' for long

M. Govind Reddy, MLA, said the garment industry was the second largest labour-oriented set-up in the country, which had been neglected for long. He urged the State Government to offer more facilities to attract manufacturers from outside the State in view of the 20 per cent annual growth rate of the industry. He advised the garment manufacturers to give up unhealthy competition so that they could profitably exploit the benefits.

M.K. Khanna, president of the association, and Ravindra Chhangani, chairman, fair committee, attended the inaugural function.

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