The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts organized a four-day fair, Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair, from October 15 to 18, in New Delhi. Its aim was boost handicraft exports. The fair drew the participation of over 2,600 exhibitors and over 4,500 international buyers, and attracted business worth Rs 150 million as compared to last year’s Rs 110 million. Exports of hand printed textiles and scarves from India increased 6.01 per cent during April to September 2014.
Exports of embroidered and crocheted products grew by 2.48 per cent while that of shawls as art ware grew by 31.1 per cent. Overall, handicraft exports from India grew by about 11.27 per cent during the period to $1.56 billion against exports worth $1.41 billion recorded during the same period of the last fiscal year.
The rise in exports is mainly attributed to increasing demand for Indian handicraft products from traditional as well as newly emerging markets. However, demand from the EU market, which together with the US accounts for around 60 percent of India’s overall handicraft exports, is yet to perk up.
Exporters are also trying to make the most of China’s decision of shifting focus from the labor-intensive sector to the capital-intensive sector to boost their share in global markets.
