Handicraft sector sees job losses due to poor overseas demand

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Namrata Kath Hazarika | 04 Jul, 2012
India's handicraft sector has witnessed severe job losses due to the fall in orders from the overseas markets, said the Industry.

"At this point in time, there is a lack of work in the industry so in that case there will be joblosses. There is a labour shortage in the sector. The number of artisans is reducing day by day," said Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman, Asian Handicrafts.

The government has to provide support that can help the sector to grow and create employment in the country, he added.

He also said that the government has provided 7 percent duty scrip on handicrafts items which is helping the sector but due to the lack of demand, work and labour shortage, the sector is facing challenges.

Arvind Vadhera, Chairman, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) said that there has been a 30 percent fall in jobs in the sector in the last two years. "The handicrafts sector is unable to get fresh artisans," he added.

"The workers who has been doing the polishing, welding, etc., are not keen to take up artisan jobs at the moment. They think that they can find better jobs elsewhere. However, the fresh artisans are difficult to find," he pointed out.

The artisans are reluctant to take up handicraft works. They are more interested in the jobs that pay better wages, Vadhera added.

"The old artisans are also not showing interest as well. In fact, they are also not interested to teach their children the artistic works. The industry is at the moment facing shortage of skilled labour," he told SME Times.

Further Vadhera mentioned, "The handicraft sector usually get Christmas based orders. Those orders have already come into the country by now. We are now looking for the production for those orders."

The shortage of skilled labour is creating trouble in fulfilling the orders. But, we are trying to manage, he said.

The council expects handicraft exports to touch USD 3.2 billion in the current fiscal compared to USD 2.75 billion in the previous year.