KOCHI: In the run-up to Onam, the city is seeing a surge in fairs and exhibitions. These fairs or expos sell everything from electronic goods to clothes. However, a big piece of the Onam sales is cornered by the textile expos, especially those organised by people from outside the state. These organisations together take away over Rs 15 crore as profits thereby making a big dent in the sales of the government-owned establishments.
According to an officer with Hantex, they are able to achieve the target set for them every year. “The target set for us last year was Rs 5 crore which we were able to achieve. But compared to what these weaver associations from North Indian states make, it is less,” she said. The reason might be lack of variety, said the officer.
“Today, the market favours only those who come up with different styles and newer clothing materials. This is the age of smartphones. People, especially the youth, have access to fashion styles from around the world. You can’t expect people to keep buying designs and fabric that were a rage in the early 80s and 90s,” the officer said.
According to a Khadi Gram Udyog officer, this is what these expos bring with them. “There is variety in fabrics, designs and patterns. No two stall sell the same stuff. But we can’t bring in such a change in one go. Ours is a system that has a hierarchy. The steps, right from decision making to implementation, takes a lot of time. So by the time an overhaul gets approved, it becomes redundant,” said the officer.
Hantex, Handweave and Khadi have a loyal customer base, said a salesperson at Hantex showroom. “But even they opt to go to these expos for a change,” he added.
Spinning profitable bundles
According to Sharmishta of Rang Mahal, last year the weavers were able to sell over 10,000 pieces of saree in Kerala. “The prices of these sarees range from Rs 750 to Rs 12,000. Our sarees are very famous and find a lot of takers all over Kerala,” she said. Rang Mahal sets up fairs in Kochi, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
“Since the weavers make a tidy profit, they are eager to come back every year,” she added. In the case of Cotton Fab, last year the artisans made a profit of Rs 3 crore, said Javed Alam, secretary in charge of Awadh Hathkargah Hastshilp and Gramodyog Samiti.
According to him, they have been coming to Kerala for the past 10 years. “Last year 80 artisans took part in the expo. This year the number has gone up to 100. Each artisan aims to make a sale of Rs 1.5 lakh in 15 days and they have been able to achieve their target,” he said.
However, Sharmistha was not happy with the sales this year. According to her, the monsoon played a spoilsport and dampened their prospects.