Struggling to survive, weavers now pin hopes on Onam sales

Most weavers’ cooperative societies in Kerala on the verge of shutdown

It has been more than three years since the Paravur Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society in Ernakulam district had a decent sale. “The production is going on as usual and we have never failed to pay our weavers on time. We have managed so far with borrowed money. But now, we are at a dead end,” said Priyadarshini M.B., secretary of the Society. Every weavers’ cooperative society in the State has a similar tale to narrate, and most of them are on the verge of shutdown due to the uncertainty ahead. The two floods and the year-long COVID-induced crisis have taken their toll on every sector of life. But, the handloom sector, which faced several problems before the crises began, is one of the worst-affected. For most handloom societies in the State, except for a few flourishing through online sales and overseas clientele, 90% of sales happen during the four major festival seasons — Onam, Vishu, Ramzan, and Christmas — and through seasonal fairs organised in every district by the Industries Department. During the last three to four years, one unfortunate circumstance or the other kept people away from the seasonal markets, resulting in loads of handloom textiles remaining unsold, driving the weavers and the societies to huge debts.