Jaipur: The industries department is working on a plan to boost exports from the state and offer the battered handicraft sector container subsidies that other states provide. During the previous Congress govt, such a policy was announced but it was never implemented.
As freight costs shot up after the Covid pandemic, states like Uttar Pradesh provided container subsidies to their exporters to cushion the impact on their exports.
Now, the freight costs have doubled.
On the sidelines of the handicraft exhibition by the Federation of Rajasthan Handicraft Exporters (FORHEX), industries commission Rohit Gupta said that the department is currently working on revamping the exports promotion council. Gupta said issues like promoting ‘one district one product’ and container subsidies will be addressed.
Though handicrafts exports from the country slightly improved in 2023-24 to Rs 32,758 crore from Rs 30,019 crore in 2022-23, the shipments are still below the Rs 33,253 crore achieved in 2021-22.
Dileep Baid, founding president of FORHEX, said, “Global geopolitical situation coupled with domestic constraints in achieving competitiveness has held back growth in the sector.” He said handicraft doesn’t mean we have to promote hand-made products. The attitude to the sector needs to change if we want to make the sector globally competitive, he said.
“This sector engages around 5-6 lakh people in Rajasthan. Sadly, it has stopped growing in the past few years, dampening any prospects of additional job creation. We need a policy that unlocks the potential,” added Baid.
The previous Congress govt introduced a handicraft policy that covered the welfare of the artisans but not the businesses that have a larger impact on higher exports, job creation, and growth of the industry.
During the four-day exhibition, Jaswant Meel, president, FORHEX fair, said, “With more than 150 participants, the fair focuses on innovative and unique art pieces like paper lamps, integrated art, exclusive furniture, textile, wall decor, gifting, lamps and lighting, exclusive watches from original manufacturers and more.”
