GUJRAT: The local fan industry is feeling the pinch of the global recessionary trend which has resulted in sharp contraction of demand both from domestic and export markets.

Usually, the fan manufacturers start production in October following two months extensive exercise of recovery of dues from the dealers and getting orders and contracts for the next season. But, the panic-stricken manufacturers amidst economic crisis are reluctant to resume operations.

The manufacturers used to enhance their stocks for the sale of fans in peak season from October to January when they were not able to fulfill the demand.

Sources in the fan market say that nobody from the fan manufacturers is taking risk of making deals for purchase of raw materials from the vendors who have been waiting for new orders.

The fan industry, which mainly concentrated in Gujrat, has shrank to 100 manufacturing units presently from over 300 units over a decade back.

Haji Kalay Khan, a representative of the Fan Vendors Association, told Dawn that only 25 per cent of the fan manufacturing units were operating currently and workers there could be seen sitting idle due to slow pace of orders.

Abdul Rehman, a small vendor of fan frame and bodies, said that last year in the same month he had some work at very little profit margin, but currently he did not have any orders.

When he was asked how he could survive, he dejectedly replied that he was ready to give up the business and would prefer to sell the machines.

Another machinist Khalid, who has two lathe machines in a one-room shop which was closed, said that he had no work from the last four months that was why he had closed his shop.— W.A.B