Nurturing Handicrafts Fostering Growth

The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), established in the year 1986-87, has been making a seminal contribution in the promotion of the export potential of handicrafts. Significantly, the Council has created necessary infrastructure as well as marketing and information facilities, which are availed by exporters of handicrafts. The Council has 10 offices all across the country with head office at New Delhi and closely working in craft clusters like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Moradabad, Narsapur, Saharanpur and North East region to name a few.

GROWING SIZE OF THE HANDICRAFTS INDUSTRY

The exports of handicrafts for April-March of the financial year 2020-21 stood at Rs 25679 crore registering a marginal growth of 1.62 % the same period in the preceding year (2019-20). Over the last ten years, the exports of handicrafts has grown at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8% from Rs. 12,975 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 25,679 crore in 2020-21.

HELPING THE SECTOR MEET GLOBAL STANDARDS

The wooden handicrafts sector faced existential crises in 2013 as due diligence certification for legality of wood used in production of wooden handicrafts was sought by European Union. The council proposed creation of the indigenous standards i.e. VRIKSH – Indian Timber Legality Assessment and Verification Scheme which is now recognised in 183 CITES signatory countries and has over 600 VRIKSH certified exporters in the country. Moving forward, keeping in view the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) of United Nations’, the VRIKSH standards have also been mapped with the SDGs.

Over the last 10 years, the EPCH has been keeping a close tab on product and design development specifically for overseas markets considering the evolving tastes and preferences of the customers. It has been helping the entrepreneurs use modern design tools, production techniques and digital marketing operations, driving growth in the sector. Further, the entrepreneurs have been exposed to various training and capacity building programmes run by the council in the areas of compliance, export procedures, product development, packaging etc. The registered exporters with the council have increased from 6000 in 2010-11 to over 10,000 in 2020-21 over the last decade.

EPCH was instrumental in launching Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair now known as IHGF Delhi Fair in 1994 for foreign buyers which today (more than 5 editions down the line) is the world’s largest congregation of handicrafts exporters under one roof certified by Limca Book of Records organised at India’s State of the art exhibition complex i.e. India Expo Centre & Mart at Greater Noida.

The EPCH has been helping exporters meet global benchmarks in terms of quality and designs retaining the inherent strength of handicrafts which depicts Indian designs, colours, motifs and patterns. For instance, the normal metallic vases being made in Moradabad has now been converted into beautiful lamp and lighting items.

In order to bridge the skill gap in the Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Handicrafts & Carpet Sector Skill Council (HCSSC) was set up to provide National Occupational Standards based skilling in the country. Centre for Handicrafts Exports Management Studies (CHEMS) was launched to ensure trained manpower and entrepreneurs for the handicrafts sector and to facilitate development of new products and new designs.

Beating the pandemic blues, the council organised the first virtual international B2B fair in June 2020 and since then 10 virtual events including 6 virtual exhibitions and 4 Buyer Seller Meets have been organised during these Covid times. The exports of handicrafts registered a growth of around 1.62% in 2020-21. It is important to note that in the first six months of 2021 there was a negative growth of (-) 23%, however the sector bounced back and registered a growth of 26% in the next six months. The EPCH is harnessing the growth potential in exports of handicrafts and the sector may grow between 15 to 20% in the next five years to double the exports from the current level of Rs 25,000 crore to cross Rs 50,000 crore.