Local cycle industry, parts manufacturers worried over competition with Red Dragon

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 13

The respective governments may be stressing on shunning Chinese products, which have literally captured the Indian markets, but the fact remains that the Red Dragon continues to give tough time to local manufacturers as it is proving to be a tough competitor.

If those dealing in cycles/parts are to be believed then China is even manufacturing local bicycle brands. And because of this, the sales of cycle industry have witnessed a sharp decline to the tune of 50 per cent.

Avtar Singh Bhogal of Bhogalsons said, “You name any local cycle brand and China is comfortably not just manufacturing it, but is also conveniently selling the product in metropolitans like Chennai, Madras, Mumbai etc. There is absolutely no check on it.” “Despite repeated attempts made by the government to curb such unethical practice of China, nothing has been done. And for this menace, traders in metropolitans are responsible to a great extent, who buy duplicate products from China and sell it at higher prices in the Indian market,” he added.

Manufacturers of cycle and its parts rue that because of the import of Chinese products, the cycle industry in the city was badly hit. “About 2,000 cycle-parts manufacturers have already left the business because they cannot compete with China, its products and its competitive prices,” Bhogal said while adding that markets in Madras, Chennai and Kolkata, where Ludhiana made products were sold, had been captured by China.

At the same time, local manufacturers said that not just ordinary segment, but high-end customers, too, had started buying imported products.

Charanjit Singh Vishkarma from Vishkarma Industries here said local manufacturers were dependant on China for many parts. “Every month, China sells approximately 50,000 bicycles here,” he added.