In the midst of the threat of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, textile and textile product (TPT) sector entrepreneurs remain optimistic that they can maintain productivity, reflecting on the handling of the previous wave of the pandemic. Secretary General of the Indonesian Filament Yarn and Fiber Association (APSyFI) Redma Gita Wirawasta said investment flows will remain high throughout this year, marked by the rapid construction of new production facilities last month. Investment in the textile industry throughout the year is estimated to be at least US$400 million or around Rp5.75 trillion.
"We still believe in the government at the peak of the pandemic, there are balancing efforts between health and the pandemic. We hope this Omicron, the government can overcome it with the same thing," said Redma, Wednesday (2/2/2022).
He continued that the vaccination rate among TPT sector workers is already quite high and is now being encouraged to inject booster doses. In addition, health protocols are still being applied both inside and outside the production facility.
According to him, armed with experience in handling the previous wave of pandemics, industry players already have sufficient anticipation efforts.
Separately, the Executive Director of the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) Firman Bakrie said there was a change in business patterns in the footwear industry during the pandemic. If previously the order payment was made in stages by the brand owner, now the payment is made up front when the order is sent. This business pattern provides certainty for business actors, especially when uncertainty due to the pandemic is still quite high.
On the other hand, export demand also continues to strengthen, as indicated by a number of manufacturers starting to increase production capacity this year. If the pandemic remains under control with measured handling so that there are no strict restrictions, the productivity of essential industries can be maintained.
"We are optimistic that we can grow with several indicators such as factories adding capacity, increasing investment, expanding factories, we can still grow in the export market," he said.
