Exhorting handicraft artisans to target high-end customers for better profits, Textile Secretary S K Panda today said there is a need to understand market requirements better.
He conveyed this to artisans from Narsapur, Jodhpur, Bhuj and Kashmir, who interacted with him on the sidelines of the IHGF Fair.
The Secretary said an online location-wise directory of handicraft products is being prepared, with contact details of artisans from each cluster, which will facilitate buyers getting in touch with local artisans.
Efforts are also on to provide more financial assistance to start-up entrepreneurs and for linking self-help groups to export entities.
He spoke of initiatives to link handicraft with tourism and fashion, in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's broader agenda.
On their part, artisans shared their experiences, success stories, narrating how their business grew and how they have been able to secure orders from foreign buyers of European countries, and even offered suggestions.
Panda said the government has reworked handicraft schemes and formulated a new strategy, which has four broad components, including infrastructure development, development of design and training, direct assistance to artisans and linking up with market through participation of the private sector.
