Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal(FHAN)and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts(EPCH),India should necessarily join forces to promote handicraft items of both countries internationally,former Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha said while addressing a workshop on'Indian Handicrafts:Past,Present and Future'.
Speaking on the occasion,EPCH Executive Director Rakesh Kumar highlighted the different challenges that handicraft industry of both the nations are confronting,like the fierce competition in international market from countries involved in bulk production.
Mr.OJha along with some other participants,stressed on the need for evolving new designs and developing a new marketing strategy to beat competition extended by the Chinese machine-made craft items,which cost much less than handicraft items.He also added that emphasizing on Intellectual Property Rights is the best way to ensure brand of traditional handicraft items.Naindra Prasad Upadhyay,Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies,said Nepali handicraft sector can gain and adopt new ideas from Indian handicrafts by associating with EPCH,India.He said handicraft making is an art which is traditionally followed in India,but now the time has ripened to develop and promote this art globally.Nurturing this art would not only work to promote the traditional art,but would also generate new employment opportunities in the country,he added.
Voicing demand for a handicraft village and economic zone,FHAN president Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said the Government is still not paying due attention to the country's handicraft sector,which ships 40 varied products to 60 overseas markets.He said handicraft items have great potential in domestic as well as overseas markets,however,it needs Government support.
There are over seven million handicraft artists in India,47.4 percent of whom are women.
