With the tension between India and China flaring up with the killing of the 20 Indian soldiers, the call for boycotting Chinese goods has become stronger. Surat builders too have decided to join the bandwagon.
Over 800 realtors affiliated with CREDAI-Surat have unanimously decided to boycott building material from China including kitchenware, bathroom fittings, furniture and window fittings etc.
The CREDAI-Surat is set to pass a resolution to this effect in a day or two. The import of Chinese building materials by these builders is pegged at Rs 5,000 crore per annum.
CREDAI-Gujarat president Ashish Patel also said that they have decided to boycott Chinese material.
In fact, CREDAI has appealed its members pan India not to depend on Chinese manufactured goods. “We appeal to 20,000 developer members at CREDAI to not depend on Chinese goods and adopt ‘Swadeshi’ or ‘Made in India’ way of life and business,” said Jaxay Shah, chairman, CREDAI-National
The national body of real estate developers has also requested all the 250 allied industries which are linked to the real estate sector to manufacture these products locally, especially the ones which are currently being imported from China and support the economy at large.
Spokesperson of CREDAI-Surat, Naresh Agarwal told TOI, “This is a way to show our solidarity with the family of soldiers killed by the Chinese army on the border.”
Agarwal added, “We have decided to pass a resolution on boycott of Chinese products and all our members have supported the decision.”
President of Surat-CREDAI, Ravji Patel told TOI, “The existing material will be used, but the builders will not import new material from China for their projects.”
Realtors preferred Chinese building products as they are cheap compared to the Indian products.
However, boycotting these products will mean increase in property cost by about 15%.
Surat builders are using 100% Chinese building materials. If suppose, the Chinese fittings in a flat costed Rs 5 lakh, it will be increased to Rs 7 lakh with the Indian fittings.