With a deluge of Chinese toys darkening the prospects of the domestic industry and also posing quality concerns, the Union government is considering to impose heavy duty on ‘Made in China’ toys, in a bid to keep their imports in check. Indian toy manufacturers have already requested the government for the same.
“The market is flooded with Chinese toys and this is killing the domestic industry. We have got requests from the domestic toy manufacturers to ban Chinese products. While a complete ban is not possible, we are considering imposing heavy duty on import of Chinese toys,” said a senior official from the commerce ministry.
As per industry estimates, about 85 per cent of all toys sold in India are imported, the maximum quantity being shipped from China.
The domestic toy industry is primarily limited to the unorganised sector comprising around 4,000 small and medium enterprises. Go to any shop and over 75 per cent of the toys are imported from China, dealers claim.
“Chinese toys are cheaper, come in large varieties, and in all shapes and sizes. A toy is something that people buy frequently, and often quality is not a big concern for them. Naturally, demand for Chinese toys is more,” said Mohit Kumar, a toy shop owner at Jhandewalan. While dumping is a major concern, officials say, it is not the lone issue.
The propensity of Chinese toys to be unsafe for children’s health have been flagged by many, they say. India had even banned import of Chinese toys for a brief period in 2009, mainly the plastic ones.
A recent study conducted by the Quality Council of India, set up jointly by the Central government and the Indian industry, has found that a majority of Chinese toys has failed Indian safety standards and is harmful to children’s health. The study claimed that a whopping 67 per cent of toys imported from China failed to satisfy India’s quality standards.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, in a recent notification, has already alerted customs authorities to send samples from every container, to be tested for health and safety standards before they are allowed entry to Indian markets for sale.