KATHMANDU: Recent data of the last four months show that Nepali handicraft products’ export to the US took a 12.06 per cent plunge. The outlook for Nepali handicrafts is bleak, the data show.

There was a fall by 18.28 per cent in textile products and 1.34 per cent in non textile products, according to Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN).

There was an increment of 37.14 per cent in felt products’ export only while in the case

of glass products there was an increment of 165.34 per cent.

A miniscule increment was seen in the case of silver jewellery, metal craft, ceramic products, bone and horn products, stonecraft, and miscellaneous goods by 7.06 per cent, 1.58 per cent, 4.60 per cent, 9.85 per cent, 9.82 per cent and 1.75 per cent, respectively, said FHAN. The total contribution of textile products was 58.76 per cent within the remainder of non textile products. The total value of Nepali handicraft products exported was Rs 1.047 billion, according to four months’ comparative data.

Anti-cadmium call

KATHMANDU: During a cadmium awareness programme

organised by FHAN on Thursday, people related to the handicraft sector called

for a prompt policy and plan to avoid

the use of cadmium in silver jewellery.

Speaking during the programme, FHAN president Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said, “There used to be export of more than Rs 360 million worth of silver jewellery but since the use of cadmium the export of silver jewellery is dropping.” Dhakwa urged for a cadmium testing laboratory. This has been proposed earlier to the government.