BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is home to some of India’s finest handloom and handicraft but it continues to fetch the least returns when it comes to selling the products overseas. Although the export of handloom and handicrafts from the State witnessed a marginal rise in the 2021-22 financial year, it is way less compared to the export of such products from other states.
As per the Directorate of Export Promotion and Marketing (DEPM) under the MSME department, while earnings from handloom exports from Odisha was Rs 2.02 crore in the financial year, it was Rs 9.41 crore in the case of handicraft. The same year, India exported handloom products worth Rs 1,693 crore and handicrafts worth Rs 35,543 crore, as per reports of The Handloom Export Promotion Council and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts.
In the two preceding financial years, Odisha handloom fetched the lowest exports of Rs 0.09 crore each. In the case of handicrafts, it was Rs 7.74 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 3.8 crore in 2019-20. While the Covid-19 pandemic hit the export of handloom, handicrafts remained unaffected and grew.
Anita Sabat, an exporter of the State’s handloom and handicraft, said the export figures of Odisha crafts are less as much of the exports happen via other ports and cities. “The demand for Odisha’s handloom and handicraft is tremendous in overseas markets and products are being sold. But it is the exporters from other states who are selling Odisha’s products in foreign markets. For instance, Pipili applique is being sold in Australian markets with a tag of a Delhi-based manufacturer and exporter,” she said.
Sabat added it is high time the State government exported the ‘Made-in-Odisha’ products from Paradip Port and Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneswar and also incentivise the exporters for doing so.
The Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department mostly depends on e-commerce platforms for orders from foreign markets. However, the Principal Secretary of the department Arabinda Kumar Padhee said steps are being initiated to improve exports.
While the brand building of nine handloom products is being done through GI tagging, State-level marketing organisations like Boyanika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya are regularly participating in various international marketing events and buyer-seller meets, both within and outside the country like India International Trade Fair, Hemtextiles, etc.
“We are planning to conduct exhibitions and brand building of Boyanika and handloom products of Odisha in prominent cities of India and abroad, particularly in the countries where handloom products are in high demand. We are also planning to do vigorous social media campaigns, particularly among the Odia diaspora, to increase export of handloom products through our online shopping site,” Padhee said.
Products like Pipli applique, Pattachitra, palm leaf engraving, tribal jewellery, and Dokra besides silk and cotton sarees are exported the most from the State.