SATISH HANDA
Mink blanket manufacturing industry at Panipat giving tough competition to blanket manufacturers in China is facing severe crisis due to too less production at Panipat manufacturing hub during present peak season because hardly 50% manufacturing units are working only in single shift due to fast increasing prices of coal, chemicals, yarn and availability of containers for shipment to other countries became four times higher in rates at present as such in-spite of heavy demand because of a handful of blanket manufacturers are involved in manufacturing mink blankets at present due to higher production cost and demand recession as most of the manufacturers unable to afford rising expenses are forced to close down their units or facing severe sickness and are in search of buyers to purchase their units.
Past scenario of mink blanket industry at Panipat started manufacturing in the town after purchasing machinery from China had left behind shoddy blanket industry in past few years having good demand of Mink blankets not only in domestic markets but also in export markets and due to increased production as well as demand of Mink blankets Panipat became a hub for consumption of polyster yarn, which also promoted industrial units in the field of printing and dyeing in the area providing employment as well as business opportunities to large number of people in the area.
The prices of coal widely used in boilers in Mink blanket industry witnessed drastic rise from Rs 6.50 per kg to Rs 13 per kg in past sometime. According to entrepreneurs, four times rise in the freight of containers for export shipment has adversely affected Panipat textile industry. President of Panipat Export Association Preetam Sachdeva said that as a result of drastic rise in production cost in past 18 months has badly affected textile as well as Mink blanket industry at Panipat and manufacturers are not getting repeat orders in the country as well as export markets at present as such most of the manufacturers have closed down their units and remaining nearly 50% manufacturing units in the town are running for a single shift and 25% units has stopped production of blankets due to demand recession at present.
Preetam Sachdeva said, farmers agitation going on since past several months is another prominent reason for slump in industry because neither buyers are visiting Panipat to placing fresh orders nor goods could be despatched timely due to transport problem as such Mink blanket industry suffered business of value worth over Rs 100 crore during last winter season and manufacturers are not getting orders even this year too. Sanjeev Manchanda President of Colours & Chemicals Traders Association at Panipat said, the prices have gone much higher since past about a year due to ban over imports from China.
