The country’s handicraft exports jumped about 49 per cent year-on-year to $ 130 million in September 2012, on increase in demand from major markets like the US and Europe.
In September last year, handicraft exports stood at $ 87 million, according to the data provided by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
“Exporters are getting good number of orders for the Christmas season as the stores in western markets like the US and Europe have exhausted their inventories and are placing new orders,” EPCH Executive Director, Rakesh Kumar, said.
The US and Europe together account for over 60 per cent of the country’s total handicraft exports.
During April-September 2012-13, handicraft exports jumped by 13.5 per cent to $ 1.4 billion compared to the same period last year.
The council expects handicraft exports to touch $ 3.3 billion in the current fiscal compared to $ 2.75 billion in 2011-12.
Moradabad, Jaipur, Saharanpur, Jodhpur and Narsapur are the major handicraft hubs catering to world markets, employing one million people.
However, the handicraft exports growth is not in sync with the country’s overall exports which declined 6.7 per cent to $ 143.6 billion during April-September 2012-13.
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