Co-optex will shortly have its branches in foreign countries with a sizeable number of Tamilian population, Textiles and Handlooms Minister O.S.Manian said on Saturday.
Disclosing this at a consumer meet organised by the Cooptex under the Handloom Support Programme here, the Minister said in order to boost the annual turnover, branches will be opened in countries such as Singapore and Thailand where Tamilians have migrated in large numbers.
Mr. Manian urged domestic consumers, particularly women, to patronise the traditional attire to swing the sales graph upwards. “The change in dress culture among women had impacted the sales of the institution. If they switch back to traditional attire, the sale of saris will pick up, thereby helping weavers and others earn more”, he said, adding: “By purchasing a dress material from Co-optex, the consumer contributes to the income of weavers, dyeing unit operators, spinning mill owners and employees and cotton farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Managing Director of Co-optex, T.N.Venkatesh, said there had been a good response from customers to the online sales facility introduced last year. Co-optex was able to clock a sales figure of ₹ 1.50 crore last year through online sales, he said, exuding hope that the steps initiated by the Cooptex to modernise its outlets would increase sales. The counter sales at Thanjavur showroom had increased by 25% after modernisation, he added.
Agriculture Minister R. Doraikannu, Rajya Sabha MP R.Vaithilingam, Pattukottai MLA C.V. Sekar, Collector A. Annadurai, and Cooptex president A.Venkatachalam took part in the meeting.