Overview of Handicrafts Industry

Sudhira Kumar Nahak

INDIAN HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY

The concept of Indian Handicrafts has emerged from one of the oldest civilizations called the Harappa Civilization and the Indus Valley Civilization. Indias rich cultural diversity and heritage provides a unique and huge resource for developing craft products The Indian handicrafts industry is highly labor intensive cottage based industry and decentralized, being spread all over the country in rural and urban areas. Handicrafts of India use brass, metal, wood, stone, and beads to carve its products ranging from masterpieces to plain household items. Indian handicraft industry India Spinning Industry India Weaving Industry India Pottery Industry India Metalwork's Industry India Woodwork Industry

CONTD The sector is considered as the second largest employment-generating sector after agriculture with numerous artisans engaged in craft work on a part-time basis Provides huge employment opportunities to artisans that include women and people belonging to backward and weaker society (6 million artisans). The handicraft sector employs one million people. Moradabad, Jaipur, Saharanpur and Jodhpur are the major handicraft hubs in the country catering to global markets. Indian handicrafts enjoy a large export market, especially in places like Saudi Arabia, U.S.A. Japan, U.K, Germany, Canada, Italy, France During April-January 2012-13 he exports of Handicrafts have shown an increase o` 3564.33 cores from ` 8992.12 to ` 12556.45 cores, an increase of 39.64% in rupees term. In dollar terms, the exports have shown an increase of US $ 417.24 million i.e. the exports increased by 22.08% from previous year

MAJOR HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS

Articles of everyday use Art metal wares Wood wares Hand printed & textiles & scarves Embroidered & crocheted goods Shawls as art wares Zari and zari goods Imitation jewelry Miscellaneous handicrafts Decorative items Gift items

ART AND CRAFT OF THE VARIOUS STATES IN INDIA

MAHARASHTRA JAMMU AND KASHMIR TAMIL NADU ORISSA RAJASTHAN GUJRAT GOA BIHAR PUNJAB MANIPUR NAGALAND WEST BENGAL

PRODUCT WISE PRODUCING CITIES

Artmetalware Wooden Artwares Moradabad, Sambhal, Aligarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Delhi, Rewari, Thanjavur, Madras, Mandap, Beedar, Kerala & Jagadhari, Jaselmer Saharanpur, Nagina, Hoshiarpor, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jagdalpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennapatna, Madras, Kerala & Behrampur (WB) Amroha, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Farrukhabad, Sagru & Sanganer

Handprinted Textiles & Scarves

Embroidered goods

Kutch (Gujarat), Jaisaimer, Baroda, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu, Dharmshala / Chamba & Srinagar

Marble & Soft Stone Crafts Agra, Madras, Baster, Jodhpur

Papier Mache Crafts Terracotta Zari & Zari Goods Imitation Jewellery: Artistic Leather Goods Kashmir, Jaipur Agra, Madras, Baster, Jodhpur Rajasthan, Madras, Baster Delhi, Moradabad, Sambhal, Jaipur, Kohima (Tribal) lndore, Kolhapur, Shanti Niketan (WB)

COUNTRY-WISE EXPORTS OF HANDICRAFTS

Shawls and Art : Saudi Arabia, U.S.A. Japan and U.K Hand printed textiles and scarves :U.S.A., U.K., Germany and Canada Art Metal wares :U.S.A., Germany, U.K. and Italy Imitation Jewelries :U.S.A., U.K., Saudi Arabia and Germany Wood Wares : U.S.A., U.K., Germany and France Zari and Zari :U.K. U.S.A., Japan and Saudi Arabia Embroidered and Crocheted : U.S.A., Saudi Arabia, U.K., and Germany Miscellaneous handicrafts :U.S.A., Germany, U.K. and France

ARTISANS
Broadly, artisans are divided into the following categories with a rigid hierarchical division of labor between more and less skilled artisans in a particular craft :
Skilled master craftsman Wage-worker Fully self-employed artisan Part-time artisan

An estimated 63% of artisans are self-employed while 37% are wage earners. Traditional knowledge . craft skills are passed down from one generation to another, so that whole families and communities are engaged in production. An estimated 71% of artisans work as family units and 76% attribute their profession to the fact that they have learnt family skills.

KEY CHALLENGES FACED BY THE ARTISANS

Inadequate Inputs Lack of Quality Raw Materials Lack of Funding

Low Productivity Unorganized Production Low Education Outdated Production Methods

Lack of an enabling environment Neglect by Central and State Governments Lack of Interest by Second Generation

Fragmented Value Chain Lack of Market Linkages Dominance of Middlemen Lack of Aggregation

TRENDS IN EXPORTS

EXPORTS DURING 2012-13 (APRIL-JANUARY)

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SWOT ANALYSIS
Weakness

Strength
Abundant and cheap labour hence can compete on price Low capital investment and high ratio of value addition Aesthetic and functional qualities Wrapped in mist of antiquity Hand made and hence has few competitors Variety of products which are unique Exporters willing to handle small orders Increasing emphasis on product development and design upgradation

Threat Better quality products produced by competitors from Europe, South Africa, South Asia, etc. Better terms of trade by competing countries Consistent quality and increasing focus on R&D by competing countries Opportunity Better packaging Strong international presence/ interest. - Huge trained and skilled manpower base. Stricter international standards - Rising export market for quality products across Europe, Latin America and US. - Social interventions and structures. - Traditional knowledge base. - Rising flow of tourists in India.

Inconsistent quality Inadequate market study and marketing strategy Lack of adequate infrastructure and communication facilities Capacity to handle limited orders Untimely delivery schedule Unawareness of international standards by many players in the market

CHALLENGES IN HANDICRAFT SECTOR

Originality faces threat Changing patron-client network Changing patron-client network Hand made vs Machine made

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO STEP UP GROWTH

Baba Sahab Ambedkar Hastshilp Yojna Design and Technical Up gradation Scheme Marketing & Support Services Scheme Export Promotion Scheme Bima Yojna for Handicraft Artisans Training and Extension Scheme Special Handicrafts Training Project Credit Guarantee Scheme Gandhi Shilp Bazaar Scheme : Research and Development Scheme