In the latest move to promote regional trade of handicrafts among SAARC countries, regional handicraft producers have signed a pact on September 22 on the sidelines of 4th SAARC Business Leaders Conclave held in the Kathmandu last week.[break]
"We are promoting Nepali handicrafts such as pashmina, paper crafts, silver jewelries, pottery, ceramics, wood crafts, metal crafts, pottery among others in SAARC countries," said Pushkar Man Shakya, immediate past president of Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) and vice-president of World Craft Council Asia Pacific Region. The handicraft proudcts are also being promoted within the country, he informed.
FHAN is organizing ´Handicraft Trade Fair´ from November 24 to 27 at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu which will not only bring together producers and buyers from Nepal but also from different countries.
According to FHAN, the fair will accommodate more than 150 stalls with productwise pavilion to showcase handicraft products depicting tradition, culture as well as contemporary handicrafts of participating countries.
"Until now only Europe, America and Australia used to be our major buyers but with MoU signed for marketing in SAARC countries, potential buyers will be from local and SAARC region," said Ramesh Thapa, senior finance and administrative manager at Sana Hastakala (SH) - a member of Fair Trade Group.
FHAN is organizing ´Handicraft Trade Fair´ from November 24 to 27 at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu which will not only bring together producers and buyers from Nepal but also from different countries.
SH is organizing ´Pashmina Week´ and "Gurung Event´ on November 13 in order to promote different handicraft items.
Thapa added that with the number of trade fairs and events related to handicrafts increasing, demand for usable and decorative handicraft items are increasing even at the local level.
SH has been promoting crafts sourced from different culture and ethnic groups of Nepal. It has already organized handcraft expo Mithila Utsav followed by Newari Bwojya and Tharu Genius.
Nepal Pashmina Industries Association, which is launching promotion campaign for Nepali Chyangra Pashmina, has placed an advertisement with the pashmina logo on the back cover of the Help Card, which contains basic information and telephone numbers and is meant for foreign tourists, to create awareness about the genuine pashmina products among foreign visitors.
"This will help every tourist visiting Nepal to distinguish between original and sub-standard pashmina and discourage the export of low-quality pashmina from Nepal," said Mandu Babu Adhikari, chief program officer of NPIA.
Handicraft entrepreneurs claimed that local market for Nepali handicrafts will double by the end of this fiscal year.
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