Surat AEPC to down shutters from January 1

The central government has decided to close down the Surat office of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), the only office of its kind in Gujarat, from January 1. The decision to wind up eight AEPC offices, including the one at Surat, was taken at the council's board meeting in November.

Earlier, it was decided that the offices would be closed down from April 1, but the government has pre-poned the closure date, and announced that the offices would be wound up from January 1 itself.

An official, posted in the Surat office of AEPC, defended the move. "AEPC has sixteen offices all over the country. The central government is not winding up the offices, but clubbing them together to reduce administrative costs," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

"The AEPC office is in existence in Surat for over five years. In this period, not too many apparel exporters have approached us for help and guidance. They have not really utilised our services all these years, and hence there is no point in raising a hue and cry when the office is being wound up," he said.

"And anyway, if any exporter needs to avail apparel export related information, he can always contact the AEPC office in Mumbai," the official added.

However, exporters are not impressed with the closure plan. "This is a very wrong decision, and it will create problems for new exporters like us. We do not have all the necessary information regarding export registration and other procedure. The AEPC office is of great use to us, and its closure will increase our problems. I hope the government reconsiders itss decision," an exporter, said.

The central government's decision has drawn flak from other quarters as well. "AEPC is the only source of correct information for garment exporters. The closure of the AEPC office will have an adverse impact on the garment industry of Surat," the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry president Dinesh Mandalaywala said.

Surat Art Silk Cloth Manufacturers Association (SASCMA) president Arun Jariwala, said: "In this era of globalisation, an exporter needs to have the correct information about international market trends, garment quality and other things.