New Delhi/Srinagar, Jan 24: Jammu and Kashmir is ready to showcase its potential through government initiatives for a necessary boost to the handicrafts sector in the post-pandemic world.
Starting with export promotion in Germany, the Director Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah held an extensive web meeting with Dr Suyash Chavan Consulate General of India (CGI), Germany.
The online meeting exclusively evaluated the scope of developing end-to-end export linkages to provide quality handicraft products of Kashmir to the German Market along with the rest of Europe. Since the beginning of the century, numerous German delegations, like the Indo-German Export Promotion have visited the valley with a keen interest in handicrafts, especially Kashmiri carpets, which have immense potential in Europe.
Germany is the largest consumer of Kashmir carpets and in addition imports Chain Stitch, Papier-mache, and Walnut furniture from Kashmir. The country’s cold winters make it an ideal destination for the use of Kashmiri shawls, rugs and carpets.
This liaison will also help to build a community of art lovers – handicraft importers of Germany with exporters from Kashmir – and result in a shared knowledge pool to achieve master craftsmanship and connect with art connoisseurs through digital platforms, ensuring long term sustainability for arts like Papier-mache, Sozni, Kani shawl, basket weaving, Khatamband, wood carving, silver and copper carving, carpet weaving, leather, silk and Pashmina weaving amongst other crafts that Kashmir is celebrated for in German markets.
Earlier Kashmir-based firms have participated in the Domotex Hannover Carpet Exhibition, one of the biggest carpet exhibitions held every year in Hannover Germany, and stood out as the show-stoppers. Carpets in the historical backdrop of Kashmir go back to the time of the renowned Sufi Saint, Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (1341- 1385 AD) of Persia. When he came to Kashmir, he carried alongside him exceptionally talented craftsmen and laid the base for the cottage industry in Kashmir. Kashmiri carpets are considered to be the finest carpets in the world second only to Persian carpets.
Kashmir’s participation in upcoming Expos and Trade shows which shall provide international exposure and honor the unsold inventory of Covid days was discussed.
Firstly, GI certified products of Kashmir shall be presented to the Consulate General of India, Germany which includes Pashmina, Khatamband, Walnut wood carving, Sozni, Kani Shawl, Hand-knotted carpet, Papier-mache, and Saffron for display purposes in the Consulate General Munich office and in the exhibitions at Germany.
The consulate general was acquainted with the export incentive offered by the Government on GI-certified goods and about the renewed focus on Handicrafts in view of the recent UNESCO Craft listing for Srinagar City.
He was briefed about initiatives taken to promote artisans through Craft tours, GI Labelling of Kashmir carpets, and adaption of block chain mechanism to check piracy and misbranding of Kashmir handicrafts. The Counsel General was assured that digital content like pictures, videos, brochures will be provided to CG for dissemination in the German Market.
The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) is playing a catalyst role in connecting international buyers with Kashmir carpet exporters by creating various sourcing opportunities in India and other countries. CEPC has a great hand in skill development, market promotion, establishing key carpet production centres and latest innovation in the carpet industry.