T.N. Powerloom Federation condemns misleading claims on rayon import rule exemption

The Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Associations has strongly condemned what it described as a “misleading and factually incorrect” statement issued by a little-known organisation claiming to represent weavers, regarding the Central Government’s recent exemption of Rayon Staple Fibre (RSF) from the Quality Control Order (QCO).

An urgent consultation meeting of the federation, comprising powerloom associations from Erode, Chithode, Lakkapuram and Veerappanchatiram, was held on Friday (November 21, 2025) to discuss the issue. The Central Government recently issued a notification exempting only imported RSF from QCO norms.

However, a statement circulated by a weavers’ federation—an organisation that does not operate within the powerloom sector and exists only in name—alleged that imported yarn and rayon fabrics meant for export had also been exempted under QCO. It further claimed that the withdrawal of these norms would increase rayon fabric production from 15 lakh metres to 25 lakh metres in Erode, Chithode, Lakkapuram and Manickampalayam, bringing happiness to weavers.

Members, led by State president L.K.M. Suresh, said the claim was entirely false. They resolved that the organisation behind the statement has “no connection with the powerloom industry” and accused it of spreading misinformation. The federation pointed out that production cannot increase under the current circumstances, citing acute labour shortages in the units after Deepavali. “In such a situation, projecting that yarn prices will fall and orders will increase is misleading,” they said. The claim that weavers are happy despite ongoing hardships was also termed “condemnable.”