Handicraft exports grow 60 pc during Apr-Sept: Govt

NEW DELHI : India’s handicraft exports during the first six months of the current fiscal stood at Rs 15,995.73 crore, the textiles ministry said on Thursday.

This represents a growth of over 60.34 per cent over the same period last year, it said in a statement. It added that the 52nd edition of the IHGF-Delhi Fair – Autumn 2021 being held at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, was inaugurated on Thursday.

The fair is being held from October 28-31. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Textiles Shri Piyush Goyal, in his message, said it is heartening to see that at a time when the world’s largest vaccination programme is in full swing, the physical exhibition is taking place. This will providing an opportunity for exhibitors and buyers to meet in person for transacting business, he noted.

”He hoped that this event will pave way for bigger and better editions of the fair in the near future, and in the process, promote greater exports of handicrafts from India,” the statement added. Speaking on the occasion, Textiles Secretary U P Singh applauded the handicrafts segment for contributing to an exemplary export growth of 60 per cent during the first six months of 2021-22 despite difficulties and challenges faced by exporters during two years of the pandemic. More than 1,500 exhibitors, pre-registered buyers from 90 nations, theme presentations, regional crafts, seminars and craft demonstrations will define the IHGF-Delhi Fair – Autumn 2021.

”The Handicrafts exports during the Six months of current financial year from April to September, 2021-22 is Rs 15995.73 crore registering a growth of over 60.34 per cent over the same period in last year,” the ministry stated.