The handicraft industry of India has been the backbone of the country since ancient times. The handicrafts industry of our country is known to provide skillful employment to a wide range of craft persons mostly in rural areas.
Indian handicrafts are considered to be the symbol of our rich and diverse Indian culture and heritage. The Indian artisans are known to bring in a legacy of their land, culture, and myth through their art and artistic designs.
Indian handicrafts have a huge demand at the international level. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that India is the largest handicraft-exporting country in terms of all the developing countries in the world. Moreover, handicrafts require highly labor-intensive working methods, due to which it is also considered to be the second largest employment generator in the country after the agricultural sector.
Handicrafts export from India – What do you need to know?
The handicraft industry in India plays a key role in the Indian exports. There are around 70,000 exporting houses in the country engaged in the promotion of Indian handicraft exports and employing almost 7 million Indian artisans including both men and women.
The best thing about this industry is that it employs a lot of people living below the poverty line and it has evolved to be a very important source of livelihood for them. The Government of India has also launched several initiatives to promote Indian handicraft exports in the international markets.
But, which are the most demanded Indian handicraft exports? We already know that there is a great demand for Indian handicrafts worldwide. So, the highly demanded Indian exports are:
- Home decors
- Indian handmade sarees
- Handmade other garments
- Furniture, homeware, and home textiles
- Gems and jewellery
- Imitation jewellery
Which are the top handicraft manufacturing states in the country?
Almost every Indian state is engaged in handicraft works. But, the states that have been mentioned below remain on top when it comes to handicraft manufacturing.
- Assam – Terracotta work
- Gujarat – Fabrics and textile handicrafts
- Kashmir – Woolen handicrafts
- Rajasthan – Jewelry, gems, precious stones, paintings, silver handicrafts,
- South Indian states – Silk handicrafts, mask making, and coconut crafts.
- Uttar Pradesh – Wooden handicrafts
There are also some other important facts that you should know about Indian handicraft exports.
- Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan are respectively the biggest Indian handicraft exporters in the country.
- Stonecraft, woodwork, textile, and ceramic handicrafts are some of the most demanded Indian handicrafts worldwide.
- The biggest importers of Indian handicrafts are the USA and the United Kingdom.
Major buyers of Indian Handicrafts
There are 3 top importers of Indian handicrafts. They are:
- United States of America: It is the major purchaser of Indian handicrafts including hand-printed textiles, imitation jewelry, embroidered goods, zari worked crafts, and shawls.
- United Kingdom: The United Kingdom mostly purchases crocheted items, handmade handicrafts, art wares, imitation jewelry, and wood wares.
- Germany: Germany is known to mostly purchase hand-printed textiles, art metals, embroidered goods, and imitation jewelry.
Is there a scope for Indian handicraft exports over the coming years?
The Indian handicraft industry plays a key role in generating profitable incomes in rural areas. It is an industry that has revolutionized the lives of many peoples across the country.
It has been assumed that Indian handicraft exports are likely to grow by around Rs 24000 crore during the financial year 2022-23.
But, what are the factors that have been contributing to the growth of the Indian handicraft industry?
Rise of e-commerce: The advancement of technology is an important factor leading to the growth of Indian handicraft exports. E-commerce has made it possible to easily connect with global customers, opening doors to easy access to consumer goods. This has enabled manufacturers in any part of the world to showcase their manufactured goods in various online marketplaces. Over a few years, even social media platforms have evolved to be great online marketplaces for buying and selling products worldwide.
Government Schemes: The government of India has been tremendously working to promote Indian exports in the global markets. They have introduced several schemes and initiatives to help Indian exporters such as the AA scheme, EPCG Scheme, etc to increase Indian exports and support the exporters. These schemes are helping the craftsmen to overcome all the challenges that they face during international trade.
Increase in dedicated trade business platforms: Earlier, there was no proper platform to promote Indian handicrafts in the correct way. But, this scenario is changing with time. Now, there are a lot of platforms that provide all the required help and support to Indian craftsmen. These platforms enable them to find their space in the global markets. Moreover, such platforms are fully managed B2B marketplaces that bring Indian handicraft manufacturers and international customers to a single platform and help them connect with each other.