Image credit : Illustrative Image

Coimbatore: The continued exodus of migrant workers from hosiery hub of Tirupur has so far not not made any major impact on the ready-made garments, as the exporting units are awaiting orders from major consuming countries to start production.

Tirupur, with nearly 9,000 garment manufacturing and its allied units like dyeing, cutting, embroidery, including 1,500 exporting units, totally employ a little over 6 lakh workers, of which 25 per cent, approximately 1.7 lakh, belonged to other states like Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Due to production stoppage following Coronavirus lock down the unitsbstopped manufacturing from March end, throwing the workers jobless for the last two months, which resulted in emptying their purse, by spending the hard earned and saved money.

About 10,000 workers might have moved to their respective States,duebto lack of money here, which was considered as a comfort zone for them.

Since there was no employment opportunities back in their states, this Could be a temporary break for them for two months and likely to return  once the production started in the units in Tirupur, sources in the Tirupur Exporters Association says.

As the exporting units have started sending samples for the Spring-Summerncollections to the consuming countries, orders are expected within a few months, as the retail centres will also open there by that time, they said.

The production has started with 50 per cent workers only a few days back even though there was no major order from other countries and production for domestic use also not  started in full swing in Tirupur, which has a total business of Rs.43,000 crore, with exports contributing Rs.25,000 crore, they said.

All the units are expecting the workers return to their work in another two months, even as some workers settled for the last six to seven years
return to their respective states along with their families.