Yarn prices add to the woes of Bhagalpur silk weavers

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Aasha Khosa • 2 Years ago
A weavers sits idle by the side of his power loom
A weavers sits idle by the side of his power loom

 

Rajeev Ranjan / Bhagalpur

 

The Champanagar locality of Bhagalpur city, once known for its exquisite silk fabric is enveloped in a pall of gloom as most of the handlooms and power loom that went silent in the Covid-19 pandemic period are yet to get revived. The Bihar government’s efforts to support the weavers whose incomes have nosedived, by organizing exhibitions at the national level and through web portals is not making much difference.

 

Ashraful Hoda, a representative of the Government of India, who helped the weavers sell their goods, says that there are 10 clusters under the Bhagalpur Weavers Service Center at Jagdishpur, Nathnagar, Dariyapur, Miranchak, Gauradih, Kharik, Pirpainti, Lodipur, Bounsi, and Dhaureya.

 

Each cluster has about 4,500 handloom weavers. Most of them are unemployed as they have no work. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the weavers had enough work as under the government-supported scheme more designs were being incorporated in their weaves with the help of technology: MUDRA loans were helping them expand the business and solar lights were being provided to them.

 

A Bhagalpur Silk weaver explaining his story


However, after the lockdown was imposed, the orders for fabric stopped coming their way. Due to this, the persons who were selected to sell their unique silk products have also lost their livelihood, adding to the number of the jobless.

 

Weaver Vasarul of Champanagar says that in the 90s, weavers in Champanagar were always preoccupied with work. At that time, Korean silk thread came from Nepal, due to which cotton and silk sarees, gamcha, lungi, Dupatta, and kurta, and shirt cloth were made on a large scale. However, gradually, even before the Covid-19, the market was losing its shine. First, the weavers had to bear the brunt of GST and demonetization and then the Covid-19 came as a big spoiler.


Mazhar Ansari and Ataur Rahman, who worked for making yarn for the weavers, say they have been in this profession since their childhood. Till the advent of the Covid-19, they used to earn Rs 300-400 per day, and now they barely make Rs 100 a day. 

 

The reason for their low income is the increased price of yarn. Mazhar says that the mill owner gives him the thread for weaving. With the help of a rolling machine, he fixes the thread into a lanyard to be mounted on the power loom. After all this work he is paid her remuneration.

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Azad says that he used to buy a 400 gm bundle of cotton yarn for Rs 800. The same is today available for Rs 1400 to 1600. The wholesalers increase the price of the yarn arbitrarily. 

 

Moora who runs the power loom, says that the power loom has been silent due to the increase in the price of yarn. In these conditions, the labourers who used to get 60 rupees per sari are now ready to work for Rs.20!

 

Silk Industry workers 

 

The workers' say it is hard for them to sustain their families and send their children to school. Since the business was booming the workers admitted their children to private schools. Mura says he pays a school fee of Rs 400 per month whereas he had studied in Madrasa for free. "When my children study, they will run the computer and have a good life,” he said.

 

Rehan, who is busy preparing slub sarees at the power loom, said that the price of quality yarn is upsetting the profit margins. The market price of slub cotton sari ranges from Rs.800-1000. He used to sell a Saree made on power loom for Rs.350. 

 

Today its price has fallen to Rs.200. “how will I manage my life?” Rehan says. He says though the market has gained momentum after the lifting of the lockdown, the increased yarn price has affected the weavers.