A newly formed forum in the knitwear sub-sector of the apparel industry apprehends that Bangladesh may lose part of the international market of its knit products due to the persisting yarn scarcity on the local market. Leaders of the forum styled "Sammilito Knit Forum (SKF)" at a launching ceremony Sunday took a swipe at the spinning millers for their repeated failures in yarn supply to the knit industries, causing an unusual delay in delivering the finished products to the buyers.
"A section of foreign buyers have got annoyed as we could not supply their ordered items in time due to yarn shortage. Most of them seem to be reluctant to come to Bangladesh… if the situation continues, no buyers will come here," said Hatem Shaheen who leads the new forum. He also claimed the knit sector could easily achieve 40-50 per cent growth with the timely supply of necessary yarn. "But the sector is going through a tough time as the local spinning millers have
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In an exclusive discussion with the UNB correspondent, the SKF leaders claimed that the textile millers here have increased the yarn price by 50 cents per kg in the last three months while the price in India went up by only 10 cents per kg. Besides, the spinners could not supply the yarn in time even after receiving payments in advance, they alleged.
Despite strong demand among the international buyers, Bangladeshi spinners could not produce the fashionable yarns like PC, CVC, Melange, Polyester, Viscous, 100 per cent Cotton Melange, Blended yarn etc, they said. Foreign buyers are now heading towards alternative destinations like India or China as Bangladeshi entrepreneurs cannot supply finished products timely due to short supply of yarn and its price hike.
Under the circumstances, the SKF leaders demanded of the government to reopen the Benapole land port for yarn import through only back to back L/C, but not commercial purchase. 
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