AEPC identifies market opportunities for PPE in government

Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) today conducted a webinar on ‘Medical Textiles (PPE) – Marketing Opportunities’ to identify market opportunities for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in government. About 1,800 participants, mainly apparel exporters from across the country, logged on to the webinar to understand the scale of business opportunities.

Various government officials shared their PPE requirements during the webinar, which drew a huge response from the participants who were eager to assess the market in government, and also to understand how to go about becoming a supplier to them.

“There is a huge opportunity for Indian apparel manufacturers in PPE. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his opening remarks on May 12, 2020 in his address to the nation had mentioned self-reliant India with a special mention to PPE kits. India is producing 2 lakh kits per day,” AEPC chairman A Sakthivel said.

“Minister of textiles Smriti Zubin Irani recently said that India did not produce a single PPE kit till March 1, 2020 and all used to be imported. Secretary textiles Ravi Capoor too has stressed on the need to increase PPE production in the country and has constituted a team spearheading the procurement process of PPE kits,” he said.

Sakthivel said that there is a huge demand for products other than nonwoven masks and coveralls and requested that the government should allow export of these products.

Nihar Ranjan Dash, joint secretary, ministry of textiles, said that apparel manufacturers in the country have suddenly increased the production of PPE kits and it needs to be increased much further as there is a growing demand for it.

Charu Sinha, Inspector General, CRPF, Jammu, ministry of home affairs, guided all the members to register through public procurement portal Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

Major General SS Bhatia, VSM, ADG – AFMS (E&S), ministry of defence, said the 200 hospitals of the armed forces across the country needed PPE kits in large numbers. They recently procured 5 lakh PPE kits and 13 lakh N95 masks.

KC Doval, DIG Police, Central Armed Police Forces, ministry of home affairs, shared the requirements of PPE kits in his field and suggested how the suppliers can avail it on GeM portal.

T Rajasekhar, director-Marketing, HLL Lifecare Ltd, ministry of health and family welfare, informed the gathering about how HLL Lifecare was having huge orders for PPE kits particularly the N95 masks.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)