India

A major fire broke out at an Agra shoe factory on April 22 injuring 2 firefighters and 3 workers. Authorities say that an electrical short circuit sparked a cache of chemicals stored in a nearby warehouse and the blaze eventually spread to the main factory. This was the second major fire in the city in a 24-hour period after a clothing store caught fire on April 21. (Times of India)
 
Thousands of powerloom workers in Tamil Nadu have returned to work following a 2 week strike to press for higher wages. Workers walked off of the job on April 8 after government officials failed to increase their wages during a mandatory bi-annual wage review. They were demanding a 75% increase in their wages, but returned to work after reaching a compromise with factory managers. (The Hindu)
 
Cotton textile mills in Telangana are urging both the state and national governments to intervene to save them from a severe shortage of raw cotton. The Telangana Spinning and Textile Mills Association (TSTMA) says that unfair trade practices by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has resulted in prohibitive price increases that have put the commodity out of reach for many mills. It’s estimated that the mills need a total of 50,000 bales per day to operate and the TSTMA says that there may only 4-5 months of supply left if action is not taken. (Fibre2Fashion)
 
The Tirupur Exporters’ Association is praising an announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he plans to conclude negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Canada by September of this year. Modi made the statement at a recent joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa, where the two also committed to resolving the issues in implementing free trade between the two countries. Canada is the 11th-largest export market for Indian knitwear. (Fibre2Fashion)
 
The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) says that 6 readymade garment projects worth over US$47 million are slated to begin in 2015-16. These projects are spread out in various locations around the country, from Pune to West Bengal to Tirupur. (Fibre2Fashion)
 
Members of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) recently staged a demonstration in Tirupur against the Labor Department and workplace inspectors for reportedly having a relaxed attitude toward the enforcement of labor laws. Leaders with the AITUC say that only about half of Tirupur’s textile production units are covered under government insurance schemes and that many employers are skirting regulations pertaining to contract workers which make up a considerable proportion of the workforce. (The Hindu)