Consumer electronics and mobile phone manufacturers said there's high possibility of a product supply shortage in the country during the March-May period if the Covid<\/a> wave in China continues beyond the Chinese New Year holiday later this month. Already, Chinese suppliers aren't assuring delivery timelines for orders placed in the past few weeks due to Covid infections among employees, multiple executives said.

Several companies in India are trying to advance orders fearing disruption but suppliers are noncommittal with anywhere between 30% and 50% of their factory workforce down with Covid, the executives said. Chinese New Year is on January 22 with companies and factories shut for 10-14 days during the holiday period.

\"If the Covid surge continues beyond the Chinese New Year as it is feared, there will be a massive shortage of components impacting availability of products like smartphones or electronics in March-May,\" said Pradeep Jain<\/a>, managing director of Jaina Group<\/a>, which manufactures smartphones and electronics for several companies besides retailing its own Karbonn brand.

Jain<\/a> said Chinese component suppliers are currently fulfilling orders placed before December, while they are cautious on delivery timelines for orders placed after that. The Covid wave in China has disrupted production at component manufacturers, said Atul B Lall<\/a>, managing director of homegrown contract manufacturer Dixon Technologies<\/a>.