Handicrafts exports up 48% in Nov

Handicrafts exports grew by a robust 48 per cent year-on-year to $66 million in November 2010, on the back of increasing demand from the US and European markets.

According to data provided by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), handicraft exports stood at $44.81 million in November 2009.

"The demand is picking up in western markets like the US and Europe," EPCH Executive Director Rakesh Kumar said.

Among the items, which saw maximum export growth were imitation jewellery (up 79.85 per cent), woodware (up 78.05 per cent) and shawls as artware (up 51.94 per cent).

Keeping in view the healthy demand for these items from western markets, the government has revised the handicrafts export target upwards to $2.5 billion from $2.2 billion for the current fiscal.

As per EPCH, during April-November 2010, the exports went up by 25 per cent to $1.13 billion from $912 million in the same period last fiscal.

The US and the European Union together account for 70 per cent of the country's handicraft exports.

The exports were hit hard due to the global economic slowdown. After 11 months of contraction, exports from the handicrafts sector, which employs one million people, turned positive from September 2009.

Moradabad, Jaipur, Saharanpur and Jodhpur are the major handicraft hubs in the country catering to global markets.