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North-east a potential handicrafts export major: Exim
Our Corporate Bureau
25 October 2005


Exim Bank's latest study, titled, Prospects for Exports of Handicrafts from North Eastern Region (NER) of India says that India's North-eastern region a rich repository of arts and crafts that are both eco-friendly and unique in craftsmanship and utility, has the potential to emerge as a potential leader in handucraft exports.

However, despite the existence of a vast reservoir of cane and bamboo resources along with other raw materials, which account for the handcrafted items (wood carving, stone carving, basketry, cane and bamboo work, pottery, hand embroidery, hand block printing, artistic textiles, brass and metal craft and jute craft) exports from the region have been insignificant.

The study noted that the global market for handicrafts exports was estimated to be of the order
$150 billion in 2003, with household glassware ($4.2 billion), ceramic household articles ( $3.6 billion) and tufted carpets ($3.4 billion) being some of the major trade items. India is one of the leading developing country exporters of handicrafts, others being mainly developed country players from Europe. Export of handicrafts including hand knotted carpets from India amounted to over $3.5 billion in 2004-05.

The study observed that though the North-eastern region is a major producer of handicrafts in the national scale, accounting for more than three-fourth of total handicraft production, its share in the country's handicrafts exports is estimated to be less than 1 per cent.

The study noted that in terms of consumer preferences, handcrafted products have come to occupy an important part of lifestyle products in international markets with consumers looking for items of personalised home décor. While price is an important decisive factor, aesthetic appeal, finishing, quality and presentation, and timely delivery are also other major decisive criteria, that may be kept in mind while marketing handicraft products.

The study reviewed the centre and state level policy initiatives and institutional infrastructure aimed at promoting handicrafts from the North-east. The study has also highlighted the constraints and bottlenecks faced by the handicraft sector in the region.

  • Supply is the most important constraint faced by the handicraft sector.
  • Product development is not well conceived by artisans, with producers concentrated in manufacture of ethnic goods that cater largely to the consumption needs of the local populace. Absence of basic financial and infrastructure facilities.
  • Lack of logistics support and communication bottlenecks continues to hamper the region from fully realising its export potential in handicrafts.

The potential of handicrafts sector in the North Eastern Region could be fully reaped through concerted and sustained efforts aimed at upgradation in production techniques, design diversification, ICT interface in value chain and coordinated institutional support amongst others, the study noted.

The study also emphasised the role of promotional organisations as alternative marketing channels, with an idealistic attitude towards craftsmen and their products that deploy commercial bridge between the craftsmen / producers associations and the foreign consumers. Interface between such organisations and the craftsmen in the region might be minimal and therefore needs to be further encouraged.

Exim Bank recently conducted workshops on handicrafts at Shillong, Jaipur and New Delhi in collaboration with Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), The Netherlands that primarily focussed on product development, design and export marketing with the objective of generating send this article to a friend awareness on international trends in design, colour, pattern, production techniques and marketing strategies amongst entrepreneurs and exporters of handicrafts.

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North-east a potential handicrafts export major: Exim