There is no competition as such in #handicrafts from China : Rakesh Kumar , ED, @EPCHindia

Mansi Mahajan , News Advisor , tennews.in : NCR Delhi .. in Face to face with Shri Rakesh Kumar , Executive Director , Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts , New Delhi

Sir, what do think are the major achievements of handicrafts Sector in India ?
Handicrafts in India have historically been our cultural heritage and very rich cultural heritage. For the ages our cast person is producing items which are unique and appreciated by the people all over the world. In the olden days Maharaja’s used to give a trend for the production of the handicraft item but in this new and modern world we are exporting our products to the affiliate’s countries, those have money to spend, particularly additional money to buy the items.

The investment in this sector is very, very low , anyone can produce the item, just by spending 5-10k on their tools and equipments and then they can produce and they can have livelihood for the family.

In these years we have been facing some competition from China this is what people as a matter of the fact, they feel it, but in my opinion, there is no competition as such in handicrafts from China because for the last three years we are now exporting back to China and the growth of our exports to China is about 30-40%.

There is a competition with China and that is with respect to the machine made items because handicrafts which are made by hands primarily has no competition with china but china produces machine made handicrafts once they produce the machine made products then they sell it on very low price.

These low price products are coming to some countries including India. So I appeal to the people that they should keep in mind while buying handicrafts whether it is an Indian handicraft or a Chinese handicraft, if it is a Indian handicraft, this will give livelihood to someone in India.

I do remember a story of my childhood when about a Japanese lady, the Japanese lady goes to buy a pen in particular place in the other country. She visited about 10 shops and in every shop she demanded a Japanese pen and then she went in one shop she took the pen along her, a gentleman spotting her asked her you are from Japan then why you want to have a Japanese pen and then you are going to give it to your daughter in your country. The reply of the lady was very simple she said i have now created the demand of my product in 10 shops and also in the 11th shop, when I bought it, the wages and the kind of commission on the pen will go to my country Japan.

So I think everyone of us has to at least make a beginning and we have to buy our product atheist in India and abroad too, so this is my only suggestion ..