Kathmandu, October 17:

To promote a niche market and spread awareness about the potential of Nepali handicrafts, Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN) will conduct Handicraft Promotion Week (Buyers’ and Sellers’ meeting) from October 19 to 25.

“The motto is to help develop the niche market. Here, under a single roof one can get information regarding the potential of handicrafts. Products from the micro to top level can get exposure at a small cost,” said FHAN president Pushkar man Shakya adding that participation in any trade fair is a costly affair, to the tune of Rs 8000 for a stall.

According to FHAN, 25 years ago the export volume of handicrafts was quite large but since a few years the volume has been decreasing due to the troubled conditions in the country. The handicraft industry provides employment to a great number of people. “As the handicraft business can be started with minimum investment, it can generate employment for many people,” Shakya said.

Talking about FHAN’s future plans, Shakya said, “Next year, either in June or September, we will organize a country exhibition which will be a great step towards the export promotion of Nepali handicraft products.”

According to FHAN, there will be 105 stalls during the handicraft promotion week and around 500 buyers from national and international non-government organizations are expected to visit the fair.

During 2007-08, FHAN exported handicrafts around Rs 3 billion. Domestic transaction was Rs 4 billion, according to FHAN data.

Nepali handicrafts are one of the major foreign currency earners. This Shrawan, textiles contributed 67 per cent and non-textile products registered 33 per cent of the total export, according to the data. Textile products worth Rs 200,119,471 were exported while Rs 97,106,480 worth non-textile products were exported, FHAN data showed.

Around 40 different handicraft products are exported to more than 80 countries in the world. Nepali handicrafts are exported mainly to the US, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Tibet, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark and Australia.