Anakapalli MP bats for a furniture zone cluster in the district to spur regional growth, generate employment and help India get a larger share of the $250-billion global furniture market
Anakapalli Member of Parliament C.M. Ramesh (BJP) said a furniture zone cluster (FZC) in his constituency can spur the region’s development and generate employment for the youth. Speaking at a press conference in Anakapalli recently, he said how a region in China is known as the furniture hub of the world.
The Hindu inquired about the feasibility of such an FZC in Anakapalli with various stakeholders such as the Forest and Industries departments.
According to a senior Forest officer, procurement of exempted species such as mango and Indian blackberry, to meet the timber requirements of such an endeavour, would not be a problem. “There are, however, certain procedures to procure wood such as teak and rosewood. Moreover, a strong enforcement wing will also be necessary once a such project comes here,” the officer said.
As for land, there would not be any problem if the government has the required land. The government entity handling such land is the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).
An APIIC officer said they have not received any formal proposal from the government to acquire land for such an FZC project in Anakapalli. The officer, however, said sufficient land was indeed available. “We are aware that raw material from China is transported through Indian ports, including the Visakhapatnam port, for furniture works in the State. If this cluster comes up, there will be employment opportunities for skilled workers, especially those belonging to the Vishwa Brahmin community.”
Vice-president of Andhra Pradesh Vishwa Brahmin Association Killampalli Achari said about 15 lakh carpenter families in the State make a living from furniture work. “It will be a boon to us if the government is really interested in establishing an FZC in Anakapalli. Furniture and professional workers are in high demand,” he added.
Meanwhile, an officer from Industries Department said that the Centre, too, was focussing on the furniture industry and trade as part of the ‘Make in India’ concept. In 2023, an Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) (supported by the Department of Commerce) and the World Furniture Confederation with the objective of establishing furniture industrial clusters across the country, improving exports and reducing the country’s dependence on imports.
“India’s current furniture industry is largely unorganised, and its major focus is handcrafted furniture. Globally, the furniture industry accounts for $250 billion in trade, with both the EU and China exporting products worth $100 billion each. Currently, India is a small player, with exports worth just $1.7 billion,” the industries official said.
