Textile entrepreneurs hope that the government will immediately carry out investigations into imported garments circulating in the market so that domestically made goods can enjoy the momentum of the surge in year-end demand. According to the Chairperson of the Indonesian Filament Fiber and Yarn Association (APSyFI) Redma Gita Wirawasta, at least as much as 120,000 tons of domestically made textile products can be marketed if the inspection process is carried out and is effective. This amount is equivalent to 40 percent of the stock of domestic textile products that are stuck in warehouses.

In total, 300,000 tons of textile products in the form of locally made fabrics and garments that were still stuck in warehouses in the last 2 months.

"The government must go to the market to inspect garment goods in circulation. If there is no proof of VAT payment and proof of entry permit for related goods, they must be confiscated," said Redma, Thursday (1/12/2022).

In the last 6 months, there were 500,000 tons of imported textile products on the market. This amount is more than 50 percent of the total circulating goods in the form of garments and fabrics circulating in the Indonesian market.

As much as 80 percent of imported products come from China. While the remaining 20 percent came from a number of countries. Among them, India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.

In total, textile products circulating in the domestic market consisted of 400,000 tons of domestic production and 500,000 tons of imported products. However, of the 500,000 tons of imported products in circulation, as many as 200,000 tons of them are said to be illegal goods.

Thus, he continued, the momentum of the end of this year could be an opportunity for the textile industry in the midst of a storm of layoffs that hit due to the loss of the export market which was disrupted by the global economic recession.

As an addition, previously General Chair of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) Jemmy Kartiwa reported that there was a reduction in the workforce in the garment industry with a total of around 79,316 people.

Government Asked to Give Electricity Discounts Until Import Faucets Closed The government itself has so far only opened up the possibility of carrying out limited (lartas) bans on some raw materials and textile products following the deteriorating industrial conditions.

The Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said some time ago that harmonization was needed between textile industry players from upstream to downstream before this policy was implemented. In other words, he continued, this policy does not affect the performance of certain segments in the TPT industry.