Handlooms, Handicrafts and Other Traditional Produce

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The role of Indian Handlooms, Handicrafts and Other Traditional Produce is very important and its contribution towards the rural economy of India is increasing rapidly. The Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Rural Economy, under Government of India are the two main governing bodies, which drafts and implements policies for the handlooms, handicrafts and other traditional produce of India. These rural industries of India come under the unorganized sector of village economy of India. Almost seventy percent of Indian population lives in rural India, inhabiting 600,000 small villages.

Most of these 700 million strong rural population of India is either directly or indirectly involved with agriculture and the remaining part of the rural population is engaged with small time business of handlooms, handicrafts and other traditional produce of India.The present rural economic policies of India are drafted according to the needs of rural population India since, majority of the population of India lives in small villages. The role of handlooms, handicrafts and other traditional produce with time has become important because the organized sector of Indian industry is ready to absorb the products from these small village industries. Further, the liberal trade and export policy of India have facilitated export of these Indian handicrafts industry to international markets.

The global market of handicraft is valued at US$ 400 billion and India’s business stands at paltry 2%. The Indian Handlooms, Handicrafts and Other Traditional Produce registered an average annual growth of 15% in the last ten years and it is estimated to grow at tan average annual rate of 42% over the next five years. The Indian handlooms, handicrafts and other traditional produce are expected to earn revenue to the tune of US $ 9100 in the next five years. The business of handlooms, handicrafts and other traditional produce in India is witnessing steady growth but its growth is being hampered by bottlenecks like the following -

  • The manufacturing process does not compliments with orders of such products
  • Use of primitive techniques
  • High manufacturing cost
  • Poor quality of products
  • Product design and development to be aligned with the background and history of the craft, the producer and the market requirements
  • Poor standard of raw materials
  • Lack of standardized vendor and suppliers
  • Lack of standardized raw materials
  • Improper pricing of finished products
  • Absence of proper incentives and schemes by the Government of India
  • Unorganized investment patterns and lack of regular investors
  • Lack of proper marketi8ng channels
  • Poor access to urban markets
The main products that are manufactured by the rural industries of India are as follows -

Handlooms -

  • Hand printed textiles
  • Hand printed scarves
  • Embroidered and crocheted goods
  • Shawls as art wares
  • Zari
  • Zari goods
Handicrafts -

  • Art metal wares
  • Wood wares
  • Potteries
Other traditional produce -

  • Imitation jewelry
  • Miscellaneous handicrafts
The articles and major importers of some of the Handlooms, Handicrafts and Other Traditional Produce of rural Indian industries are as follows -

  • Art metal wares - USA, Germany, UK and Italy
  • Wood wares - USA, UK, Germany and France
  • Hand printed and textiles and scarves - USA, UK, Germany and Canada
  • Embroidered and crocheted goods - USA, Saudi Arabia, UK, Germany
  • Shawls as art wares - Saudi Arabia, USA, Japan and UK
  • Zari and zari goods - UK, USA, Japan and Saudi Arabia
  • Imitation jewelry - USA, UK, Saudi Arabia and Germany
  • Miscellaneous handicrafts - USA, Germany, UK and France

(Last Updated on 19 May 2011)