The decision to reopen public sector spinning mills was taken in the discussion convened by industry minister A C Moitheen last week.

On Monday five of eight public sector spinning mills that had remained closed, were reopened.

The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry and the Southern India Mills Association had called the strike. Officials of the Malappuram Cooperative Spinning Mills said that there was a severe shortage of cotton in the domestic market despite the country being the second largest producer of its in the world. The export and import policies followed by the Centre had plunged the textile industry into a crisis.

The workers demanded that cotton export be stopped till December 31. The other demands included regulation of imports to ensure a good price for thread in the domestic market.

The strike was part of a nation-wide agitation in the textile industry.

The mills include Prabhuram Mills in Chengannur, Kottayam Textiles in Ettumanoor, Edarikode Spinning Mills in Malappuram, Malabar Spinning Mills in Kozhikode and Thrissur Cooperative Spinning Mill.

The remaining three spinning mills - Komalapuram Spinning Mills in Alappuzha, Sitaram Spinning Mills in Thrissur and Balaramapuram spinning mills - will start functioning next week.

The government had sanctioned Rs 18.5 crore for clearing salaries arrears of mill employees, for maintenance and purchase of cotton to operate the mills.