The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) on Friday 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 for PPEs 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. PM Modi in his opening remarks on May 12, while addressing nation mentioned the self-reliant India with a special mention to PPE kits. India is producing 2 lakh kits per day,” A Sakthivel, chairman of AEPC, said.
Sakthivel also said Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani recently said that India did not produce a single PPE kit till March 1, and all used to be imported.
Ravi Capoor, Secretary Textiles, 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.
The chairman said there is a huge demand for other than non-woven masks and coveralls and requested that the government should allow export of these products.
Nihar Ranjan Dash, joint secretary, Ministry of Textiles, said 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 of CRPF guided all the members to register through public procurement portal Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
Major General SS Bhatia, 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, 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, informed the gathering about how HLL Lifecare was having huge orders for PPE kits particularly the N95 masks.
The webinar in which government officials shared their PPE requirements drew a huge response from the participants who were eager to assess the market in government.