Apparel industry cries out for essential service status to secure adequate fuel

The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said yesterday that granting the apparel manufacturing industry the status of an essential service for fuel distribution was of critical importance.

JAAF said that it had initiated discussions with the government for a speedy solution.

However, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has thus far, not been directed to prioritise the industry for fuel distribution, the JAAF said.

The Association added that while there was much concern about the shortage of fuel that Sri Lanka was experiencing, the apparel manufacturing exporters were managing daily operations to meet production deadlines to the best of their ability. Currently, several factories had sufficient stocks of fuel to meet on-going production requirements.

However, since the industry has not been granted essential service status, small and medium apparel factories were struggling to obtain fuel, the JAAF said.

“All manufacturers, large and small, must be fully operational during this time as our national economy depends on it. It is imperative that we meet production deadlines as per our order books, ensuring that foreign exchange inflows from the apparel industry continue into the country, uninterrupted,” the JAAF said.