India’s handicraft exports grew 5.3 per cent year—on—year to $523 million in August this year, mainly on the back of growing demand in markets like the US, China and Latin America.

In August last year, the exports stood at $497 million, according to the data provided by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).

“The demand for handicrafts products has been rising mainly in emerging markets like China, Latin America and Africa,” EPCH Executive Director Rakesh Kumar said.

He said the US market has started picking up, although the demand from European nations is still sluggish.

The US and Europe together account for about 60 per cent of the country’s total handicraft shipments.

“I think Indian exporters are likely to be benefited from China’s decision to focus more on capital—intensive sectors than the labour—intensive ones. This will provide an opportunity to Indian exporters to increase the share of handicrafts products in the global market,” former EPCH Chairman and founder of R K Arts Ravi Passi said.

During April—August 2013, the exports of handcrafted items grew about 11 per cent to $1.41 billion compared to the same period last fiscal and the country’s total handicraft exports have met the target of $3.3 billion for 2012—13.

The handicraft sector employs one million people. Moradabad, Jaipur, Saharanpur and Jodhpur are the major handicraft hubs in the country catering global markets.

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