News

NEW DELHI JAN 19:INDIA’S handicraft exports growth slowed to 9 pc in December2011 after witnessing a peak of 32 pc in October with over seas shipments totaling just USD 338 million on account of less demand from US European markets.

In December last year India’s exports stood at USD 309 million according to data provided by the Exports Promotion Council for Handicrafts(EPCH).’The demand is sluggish in Western Markets like Europe and US due to fragile economic growth,”an EPCH official said.This US and European Union together account for 70 pc of the country’s handicraft exports.

The item that saw the maximum export growth was wood-ware(90pc) followed by shawls as art-ware (about 30per cent) and imitation jewellery (22.5pc).

However embroidered and crocheted goods registered negative growth of about 7 PC.

During April-December 2011,handicrafts exports went up by about 19 PC to USD 1.7billion from USD 1.4 billion in the same period last fiscal.

The handicrafts sector employs one million people,Moradabad,Jaipur,Saharanpur and Jodhpurs are the major handicraft hubs in the country catering to global markets.