Handicrafts exporters look up to e-commerce to boost trade

Jayarama Emani | The Dollar Business The $5 billion Indian Handicrafts Industry is likely to witness growth like never before both in the domestic and international markets. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the Ministry of Tribal Welfare to explore the possibilities of online marketing of products produced by tribals through e-commerce platforms, a host of handicraft exporters are eagerly waiting to jump on to the wagon of e-commerce and joining hands with popular portals to tap the Indian market. At a time when India's handicraft exports declined by about 10 per cent year-on-year in January to USD 120 million, the industry is looking at the government to develop India as one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Asia-Pacific. With increased Internet penetration, adoption of smart devices by people across the globe and India, the industry is looking at doubling the country's annual handicraft exports from $3 bn to 5 bn and create employment capacity of more than 1.5 crore either directly or indirectly. Sources in the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) said that handicrafts is a labour-intensive sector and would create more jobs based on the demand. Getting skilled man-power in this sector is a huge problem as margins are low and markets are out of reach. In the forthcoming budget, the council expects the government to take necessary steps to boost the sector’s growth domestically and internationally too. Bamboo goods, house-ware, fashion jewellery, home textiles, furniture, beads and glassware are some of the goods that can be sold online, added the source.  

This article was published on February 17, 2015.