Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCFH) has submitted final proposal to the Ministry of Textiles for setting up two large handicraft warehouses in Latin America and Russia to promote Indian products in a big way. EPCFH is waiting for a positive response soon from Ministry of Textiles.

Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director of EPCFH said that they have proposed two handicraft warehouses -- one in Uruguay in Latin America and Latvia of Russia -- to promote their products as these markets are very potential in terms of business. Each warehouse will be built with an investment of Rs.100 crore. The idea is to help exporters who are currently facing several transport, credit and other related difficulties in the process of export and full circle transaction which normally stretches to a span of six months.

Mr. Rakesh Kumar participated in the three-day buyer-seller meet of handicraft exhibitors, aggregators and exporters at the International Lace Trade Centre in Narasapur from January 28 to 30.

The Ministry of Textiles had built an export cluster with an investment of Rs. 17 crore in AP to facilitate lace handicraft workers and exporters scale up to the growing demand for the products across the world.

Lace product manufacturing in the East and West Godavari regions of AP has a rich history over the past several decades. Over one lakh women are involved in the lace and crochet industry. The buyer-seller meet is one of the steps taken by the Ministry of Textiles to give a marketing boost to the languishing crafts.

The Government of India is aiming at Rs. 20,500 crore handicrafts exports for the current fiscal, over Rs. 2,000 crore more than the last fiscal. The government focused on southern region of the country. For lace and crochet here, the target is pegged at Rs. 500 crore export in the coming five years. The current export is Rs. 60 crore.

The first meeting of the stakeholders at the tier-III city worked well according to exporters. The products out here have huge potential. With a little bit of value addition, the export can be scaled up to ten times the present volumes, said Riba Khan of Indian Ink, the Delhi-based firm which supplies the lace products to the 275 outlets of Cost Plus, USA.

For Shoppers Stop, the premium lifestyle chain of stores, it’s a great opportunity to interact with the handicrafts-women and exhibitors. They see enormous variety here. The meet is much sought after one, said Poornima Khandelwal, Assistant buyer, Home Division, Shoppers Stop.

Insights into new markets and new leads are a new lease of life for the industry, said the managing director of RKPH Exports Mr. Rajiv. K. This particular meet has opened up a world of opportunities, especially in the new and emerging markets.