The ongoing Jat agitation in Haryana has hard hit Surat’s polyester fabric trade, the country’s largest man-made fabric (MMF) hub as over 300 trucks, loaded with textile fabrics that had set journey towards Delhi, Haryana and Punjab have been asked to return following widespread incidents of violence and arson on the Haryana-Delhi and Haryana-Amritsar highway.

More than 500 transporter trucks are loaded from the city’s textile markets and sent to various places in north India. Due to the Jat agitation that has spread out to Delhi, with agitators blocking the national highway, Surat City-based transporters dealing in textile goods transport have stopped accepting supply orders from the textile traders. The onward routes from Haryana leading to Punjab from Rohtak are also disturbed due to the agitation.

President of Surat Textile Goods Transporters Association (STGTA), Yuvraj Deshle said they can’t take risk with the delivery of materials in Delhi and Haryana. They have stopped taking delivery orders from markets towards northern India.

Manoj Agarwal, president of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) said that North India is an important market for the textile sector. At present, the market is passing through a tough phase and they were hoping that the marriage season will come to their rescue. ‘But the Jat agitation will literally bleed their business.’

Most buyers in northern India have cancelled their orders. There are many places where shoot-at-sight orders have been issued, so they can’t take any chances.

Northern India is the largest market for the MMF fabrics manufactured in Surat. Saris and dress material worth around Rs 45 crore are transported to Delhi, Punjab and Haryana on daily basis.