HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY

HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY

Handicrafts are unique expressions and represent a culture, tradition and heritage of a country. The Handicraft Industry is one of the most important productive sectors of India. Various attempts have been made to define this broad and diversified industry. The following definition strives to cover diversity and complexity of Handicraft Industry.

Defining Handicrafts:
Handicrafts can be defined as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally attached, decorative, functional, traditional, religiously and socially symbolic and significant.
Definition according to Govt. of India:
Handicraft can be defined, which is made by hand; should have some artistic value; they may or may not have functional utility.
The Importance of Handicrafts:
• The Cultural Importance:
Handicrafts play very important role in representing the culture and traditions of any country or region. Handicrafts are a substantial medium to preserve of rich traditional art, heritage and culture, traditional skills and talents which are associated with people’s lifestyle and history.
• The Economic Importance:
Handicrafts are hugely important in terms of economic development. They provide ample opportunities for employment even with low capital investments and become a prominent medium for foreign earnings.
India is a country of rich culture, history and traditions. India is one of the major producer and supplier of Handicrafts products in the world. India has been major producer and supplier of handicrafts products since very long time.
Indian handicrafts have grown as a result of two needs of mankind - the utility and the need for beauty. Former one led to comparatively plain 'useful' objects, which also served the needs of common people. Latter one produced much aesthetic products. These items took much time and labor was spent catering to aristocracy and nobility of land. These were also exported as choice gifts and objects of art. Making these items may be complex involving numerous processes, but each craft is individualistic and localized in its appeal. We can take the example of hand-printing in Rajasthan, which is very different from printing in Andhra Pradesh. These crafts may differ from region to region. These crafts have their traditional ways of production, individual shapes, patterns, designs and colors. The tools used producing these handicrafts cannot be anyhow compared against spectacular structures or noisy machines, but silent and subtle beauty of resulting artifacts keeps them apart from rest of others. Handicrafts of India are beautiful and conceptually pure remaining popular not only in India but admired, bought and displayed all over the world.

Some of the most popular items of handicrafts are being mentioned here onwards.
1. Furniture of India
Indians have been using their aesthetic sense even while making items of daily use. They have been using different materials while making these things. For example, cane and Moonj is used while making furniture. A broad range of baskets made of Moonj grass is available in attractive blends of traditional designs and modern functional utility. Decorative and durable cane furniture and other articles made here are a major draw as items for export. Basket work and related products are very substantially exported world over.
PLACES
Kashmir, Tripura, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan
2. Decorative Work
Plated with white metal, Patra furniture is intricately carved and engraved. Once adorned the furniture in the palaces of the royalties, this exquisite metal work is very popular even today and is pride of Rajasthan. Gujarat's Lac furniture is exquisite in variety and embellished with workmanship named as Sankheda. Exquisitely carved furniture comes from Kashmir and many parts of Rajasthan.
PLACES
Kashmir, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Punjab and Orissa
3.Costume Jewelry
There's nothing quite like the offbeat style of self adornment for hi-fashion woman of today. You can pick the style which suits you most. Even after passing of centuries, the old appears offbeat till date. It has an irresistible lure for women world over. This amazing country is one of the most important countries for manufacture and export of costume jewelry as it has the largest production base for glass beads.
PLACES
Rajasthan, Kashmir, Mumbai

4. Glass & Bead Jewelry
The age-old city of Varanasi is famous for its glass beads which are made of fused glass rods. Black glass beads of Purdilpur are also very famous. You can shop lovely glass beads, stringing glass and wooden beads in necklaces together with Rudraksha {sacred seeds) and Tulsi (basil) in a variety of interesting combinations. A very rich selection of fragile and delicate lightweight beads is available at Ferozabad. 'German Silver' jewelry is designed according to modern tastes in Agra. Meerut produces exquisite metal jewelry. Silver ornaments are very popular in Rajasthan, while hollow silver beads are available in Karnal in Haryana. Graceful head ornaments are prepared in Maharashtra and Rohtak has well made peasant jewelry.

5. Wall Paintings
Having narratives in a series of panels, Paintings on walls have deeper themes. They have their their decorative purpose, but they also constitute a form of visual education as picture books from where one can take the inspiration of one's heritage. These wall paintings are usually made at festivals and special occasions like marriages in Rajasthan, Punjab and outer Delhi. Rajasthan's folk paintings attained a high standard and artists won great fame in this art. These themes are inspired from epics and heroic Rajput tales.
PLACES
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal.
Art Concentration Areas
A comprehensive range of handicrafts and gifts products is made all over India. Although it is quite difficult to limit a particular place for a specific craft, the following places are well known for their unique crafts.
Art Metalware Moradabad, Sambhal, Aligarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Delhi, Rewari, Thanjavur, Madras, Mandap, Beedar, Kerala, Jagadhari and Jaselmer
Wooden Artwares Saharanpur, Nagina, Hoshiarpor, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jagdalpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennapatna, Madras, Kerala & Behrampur (WB)
Hand printed Textiles and Scarves Amroha, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Farrukhabad, Sagru & Sanganer
Embroidered Goods Kutch (Gujarat), Jaisalmer, Baroda, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu, Dharmshala / Chamba & Srinagar
Marble & Stone Craft Agra, Madras, Baster and Jodhpur
Terracotta Agra, Madras, Baster, and Jodhpur
Zari & Zari Goods Rajasthan, Madras and Baster
Papier Machine Craft Kashmir and Jaipur
Artistic Leather Goods lndore, Kolhapur and Shanti Niketan (WB)
Imitation Jewelry Delhi, Moradabad, Sambhal, Jaipur and Kohima (Tribal)


Pre Liberalization Era:
After Independence, The Handicrafts Board was set up to look into the plight of the dying crafts. Slowly demand grew for these items both at home and also abroad. Recent export figures show that India is lagging behind in many handicraft commodities except in the case of gems and jewelry items.
Despite the growth of handicrafts industry in India, the average earnings of the craftsmen when compared to other fields is very low. Hence the younger generation is moving onto other fields with only the elder craftsmen left over. The average age of many master craftsmen is around 50 years.
Improving educational system and lifestyles of the middle class people contribute a lot for the eroding of the native crafts in India. Cheap plastic items have now flooded the market and people have left out the age-old clay and metal containers. They do not understand the harmfulness of plastic items, which may react with their food. Also they have moved onto wearing synthetic clothes avoiding good, comfortable and cheap cotton woven items, just for their patterns and cost. The need of the hour is assistance for the craftsmen to improve their techniques, availability of good raw materials, direct marketing channels, credit and enough wages and socio-economic benefits.
Key Facts of Indian Handicrafts Industry
• India’s rich cultural diversity and heritage provides a unique and huge resource for developing craft products.
• The Indian Handicraft Industry is showing continuous growth rate of 20% every year.
• Handicrafts industry is one of the important segments of decentralized sector in India.
• Major parts of industry operates in rural and semi urban areas throughout the country and has potential Indian and International market with around 67000 exporters to tap the market.
• According to the national census of handicrafts, undertaken by the National Council for Applied Economic Research the value of handicrafts produced last year were of Rs.26,213 Crores.
• This Industry provides huge employment opportunities to artisans that include women and people belonging to backward and weaker society. This is one of the major source of income there.
• The Indian Handicraft Industry is a $100 billion industry worldwide.
• India’s contribution in world market is 1.2%
• The total exports of crafts items: - Rs. 13412.92 Crores.
• Industry’s share in India's exports:- 1.51 %
• In spite of having diversified products, some part of Indian market are still untapped and market is price sensitive.
• Products are high priced in big and metro cities, which are beyond, reach of people belonging middle and lower middle class.
• Craft producers have to compete on price, quality and delivery for different segments.
• There is poor promotion for craft products in national market.
• There is lack of awareness about new traditions and among craftsmen and there is need of technological support and training.

Post Liberalization Era:
India opened up its economy and adapted to globalization in the early nineties. Major changes initiated as a part of the liberalization and globalization strategy included scrapping of the industrial licensing regime, reduction in the number of areas reserved for the public sector, amendment of the monopolies and the restrictive trade practices act, start of the privatization program, reduction in tariff rates etc. Since the advent of globalization in 1991, India has experienced a lot and accordingly the society has undergone many changes in different spheres. Though the forces of globalization have ample positive effects in the long-run in many sectors of our economy and society, some of its repulsive implications against the poor in many cases have worried our development strategists. If we suspend the later for a moment, one of the growing sector benefited out of it, is the Handicraft industry with 'Indian handicrafts export crossing Rs.1,220/- crores in 1990-91 from merely 10 crores in the mid fifties.' Again the Ministry of Textiles data show, it increased to Rs. 4517.52 crores in 1994-95 and Rs. 7206.79 crores in 2000-01. It had reached at the peak Rs. 8059.63 Crores in 1999-2000. Indian handicrafts are now available in global markets, so also foreign crafts in our shops. Handicrafts constitute a significant segment of the decentralized sector of our economy and its importance is being felt when it is assessed that it provides employment to lakhs of artisans scattered especially in the weaker sections of our society such as SCs, STs and the women, producing goods worth thousands of Crores of Rupees per year.

The skilled hand of the Indian craftsmen is our most important and yet most invisible resource. It is to be perceived with concern and with a precise understanding of its value. Because once lost nothing can replace it. India has been the exporter of crafts for ages. The workmanship of the Indian craftsmen is so exquisite that throughout the 18th and 19th centuries India was known to other countries on the trade route more by her crafts than by her art, religion and philosophy.

As the data shown above clarifies, remarkable progress has been made in exports of handicrafts since India's Independence. The Handicrafts and Handlooms Exports corporations of India ltd (HHEC) a govt. of India undertaking established in 1962 has been instrumental in promoting Indian handloom fabrics in the west. There is a vast scope for the Indian's handicrafts exports to grow further. In the age of globalization, where efficiency meets success, Indian handicraft's further prospects lies in diversification of products and markets. We have to be ahead of our competitors in keeping ourselves informed of market trend and changes in fashion and design.
Exports
Generally considered a cottage industry, Indian Handicraft Industry has outgrown its image to evolve into a rapid growing industry with a turnover from US $ 1.2 million to US$ 1.9 billion in the last decade. There has been a consistent annual growth rate of more than 15 per cent over a 10-year period, from 3.6% to a respectable 10% share in global handicraft exports. In 2005-2006 the exports of Indian handicrafts has shown an increase of US$ 298.87 million, i.e. the exports increases by 10.02% over the similar period during 2004-2005. Though India's share in international handicrafts market is just about 2 %, the world handicrafts market is estimated to be of the order of US $235 billion. The industry is expected to triple its export turnover to Rs. 39,000 crores by 2009-10 that in turn will also create around 20 lakh new job opportunities.


Top Ten Destinations of India's Export for Handicrafts
Rank Country Name 2000 - 2001 Value (In Million US$) 2001 - 2002 Value (In Million US$) 2002 - 2003 Value (In Million US$)
1 U S A 294.8517 219.176 324.6047
2 U K 61.6174 56.1987 79.1673
3 Germany 37.554 30.4357 47.2585
4 France 31.013 29.4103 37.5341
5 Netherlands 29.243 25.8394 37.3164
6 Spain 21.8287 19.0162 30.4608
7 Italy 27.9376 19.89 24.0536
8 U A E 14.6376 12.205 20.9196
9 Canada 15.2344 12.8124 17.6554
10 Belgium-Luxembourg 9.0019 9.5755 14.5125



Export Data (Product Wise) 2006-07
According to the provisional data available, the export of handicrafts has shown an increase of Rs. 2761.29 crores, from Rs.14, 526.85 to Rs.17, 288.14 crores (increase of 19.01% in rupees term). In dollar terms, the export figures have shown an increase of US$ 528.70 millions, i.e. the exports increased by 16.11% over the similar period during 2005 - 06.
Details are given below:
STATEMENT PRESENTING PROVISIONAL EXPORT FIGURES OF HANDICRAFTS DURING THE PERIOD APRIL- MARCH 2006 - 07 COMPARED TO THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF APRIL- MARCH 2005 - 2006.
Items RUPEES IN CR. (April-March) INCREASE IN %
OVER 2005-06 US$ IN MILLIONS
(April-March) INCREASE IN % OVER 2005-06
INCREASE IN % OVER 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06
*44.2546 2006-07
*45.3607
Artmetal Wares 3662.98 4135.06 12.89 827.90 911.60 10.14
Woodwares 853.06 1180.02 38.33 192.76 260.14 34.96
Handprinted Textiles 2053.70 2465.18 20.04 464.07 543.46 17.11
& Scaraves 4711.45 5860.35 1064.62 1291.94
Embroidered & 110.23 216.82 24.39 24.91 47.80 21.35
Crocheted Goods 347.05 392.45 78.42 86.52
Shawls as Artwares 274.86 386.09 96.70 62.11 85.12 91.89
Zari & Zari Goods 2513.52 2652.17 13.08 567.97 584.68 10.33
Imitation Jewelry 14526.85 17288.14 40.47 3282.56 3811.26 37.05
Misc. Handicrafts 5.52 2.94
Total 19.01 16.11

Major Destination Countries Fir Indian Handicrafts (Latest figures):






Country-Wise Export of Indian Crafts

Major buyers of Indian handicrafts are
Art Metalwares U.S.A., Germany, U.K. & Italy

Wood Wares U.S.A., U.K., Germany & France

Hand Printed & Textiles & Scarves U.S.A., U.K. , Germany & Canada
Embroidered & Crocheted Goods U.S.A., Saudi Arabia, U.K., Germany
Shawls as Artwares Saudi Arabia, U.S.A. Japan & U.K
Zari & Zari goods U.K. U.S.A., Japan & Saudi Arabia
Imitation Jewelry U.S.A., U.K., Saudi Arabia & Germany
Miscellaneous Handicrafts U.S.A., Germany, U.K. & France



Future Prospects

The dynamism of handicrafts industry in India is unparalleled - be it the traditional Indian arts and crafts or a customized version of an overseas art form. Unlike in the past when the industry was battling to carve a niche in the market, there is a great demand for Indian handicrafts today that is being nurtured by different government and non-governmental organizations.

The sector is economically important from the point of view of low capital investment, high ratio of value addition, and high potential for export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. The export earnings from Indian handicrafts industry for the period 1998-99 amounted to US$ 1.2 billion.

The market is developing due to the huge demand of its products in terms of utility, cost and aesthetics. To centralize and better organize the sector, the government has also initiated the concept of 'Towns of Excellence' that are providing recognition to production areas where the handicrafts have been traditionally developed. Today, there are 35 urban 'Haats' all across the country, that allow for the allotment of built-up stalls to artisans on a fortnightly rotation basis at nominal costs.

The industrial revolution and the increasing productivity had slowed down the growth and the quality of arts and crafts, but for some decades now, the scenario has changed and machine-made products no longer attract the people. Presently handicrafts are being considered as vocational media and it is also opted for style statement and the leisure pursuit. Today, the crafts and craftspeople have a vital role to play in modern India – not just as part of its cultural and tradition, but as part of its economic future.