Traders dismayed by low handicraft sale in Europe

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 25

Valley businessmen have started bearing the brunt due to the appreciation of rupee. While the appreciation has started severely affecting the sale of famed Kashmir handicrafts such as silk carpets in the European countries, a delegation of local businessmen have completely failed to book even a single order during the ongoing Domtex Hannover- 2015 fair being held in Germany.

“No export orders could be booked at the fair by any exporter from Kashmir participating in the fair. The situation has arisen more because of the appreciation of rupee against the euro which as of now has been up by 10 per cent causing a huge loss to the exporters,” said Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) senior vice-president Mushtaq Ahmad Wani.

He said after receiving feedback from KCC&I president Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, who is in Germany presently to attend the fair, the business community was feeling concerned about the ‘crisis in export market, especially handicraft export’.

Wani said if no steps were taken, it would hit hard the artisans. “It is apprehended that with the situation obtaining in the handicraft export market, especially silk carpets, will render thousands of carpet weavers and other related artisans jobless. In such a situation, the KCC&I would invoke the authorities to work out some solution that would attract importers from other countries to place orders for Kashmir silk carpets,” he said.

While the KCC&I has already urged the Financial Commissioner, Industries & Commerce, J&K, to take up the issue with the Union Ministries concerned in New Delhi, Wani said they would also be taking up the issue in the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) export meeting being held in Jammu on January 30.