Tensions over delayed fabric remittances escalated into street protests in Surat’s wholesale hub this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, groups of powerloom and jacquard weavers gathered outside a prominent fabric trading firm located inside Millennium Textile Market II on Ring Road, demanding immediate settlement of long-pending grey fabric bills that have exceeded 200 days.
Viral Audio & Police Action at Sachin GIDC
The conflict intensified after an audio recording of a heated phone altercation circulated across regional trade WhatsApp groups. In the recording, a defaulting cloth trader was allegedly heard verbally abusing a local weaver who asked for the release of pending payments totalling ₹8 lakh, of which only partial payments had been released despite repeated reminders.
Following demonstrations at the market complex where police were summoned to maintain order, affected loom owners approached the Sachin GIDC Police Station seeking the registration of formal criminal complaints for cheating and breach of trust under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Loom Associations Warn of Pre-Diwali Default Epidemic
Chetan Maniya, president of the Rapier Jacquard Weavers Association of Surat, stated that delayed payments have become an existential challenge across Sachin, Pandesara, and Kim-Pipodara. According to association records, multiple small weaving units are owed substantial amounts by fly-by-night trading firms and commission brokers who exploit the pre-festive buying rush, accumulate fabric on credit, and avoid settlement before markets shut for the holidays.
The agitation arrives at a delicate moment for the city’s manufacturing base. With Diwali falling on Sunday, 8 November 2026, weaving sheds must clear worker salaries, festive bonuses, and loom electricity bills before the annual Diwali vacation commences around 5–6 November. Unpaid dues directly paralyze small MSME weavers who operate on razor-thin operating margins of ₹1.00 to ₹1.50 per metre.
FOSTTA Dispute Cell Mobilized
Representatives from the Federation of Surat Trade & Textile Associations (FOSTTA) have urged weavers and traders to submit payment default grievances to its Trade Arbitration Cell before shops close for the holiday period. FOSTTA reiterated that merchants must insist on strict KYC documentation and avoid dealing with unverified outstation brokers offering unrealistic credit margins.