Handloom weavers struggle to make ends meet 

NELLORE: Handloom weavers across the district have been facing difficulties to eke out a livelihood due to decrease in exports and lack of financial assistance from the government.
According to sources, there were 36,000 handloom units in the district ten years ago and they were decreased to 20,000 in five years. Now,  there are only 10,000 handloom units in more than 200 villages in 40 mandals of the district. 

The concentration is mainly in Venkatagiri, Buchireddypalem, Sangam, Vinjamur, Gudur, Kovur, A.S. Peta, Podalkur, Venkatachalam and Nellore rural mandals.Now, the cottage industry is confined to hundreds of houses where they are struggling for livelihood. Majority of the weavers have switched to related professions or migrated for greener pastures. 

Handloom products are losing their significance due to lack of marketing facility. Most Patur sarees are made out of silk, but cotton sarees with minimum designs are also popular. Even some of the artisans in Patur and in Venkatagiri are getting `250 for weaving a saree and they weave about 15 to 25 sarees in a month.“We are unable to promote our sarees as a brand, so we are forced to limit ourselves to hand painted sarees, bed sheets and other materials,” says T Narayana, weaver from Venkatagiri.