Kathmandu, September 23:

Nepali handicrafts — a major foreign currency earner declined by one per cent in 2007-08 in comparison to 2006-07 — is now witnessing a rise in export by 31 per cent in Shrawan of 2008-09 compared to the same period in 2007-08. Handicrafts worth Rs 226,313,293 were exported in Shrawan 2007-08 while in the Shrawan of fiscal year 2008-09 export rose to Rs 297,225,951.

Textiles worth Rs 200,119,471 contributed 67 per cent while non-textile products worth Rs 97,106,480 contributed 33 per cent to the total export volume, according to data provided by the Federation of Handicrafts Associations of Nepal (FHAN).

Among textiles, export of Pashmina upped by 124 per cent to Rs 77,821,735 while that of woollen goods upped by 33 per cent to Rs 64,158,412. Export of hemp posted a growth of 70 per cent to reach Rs 2,980,340 and cotton goods registered a growth of nine per cent to reach Rs 9,462,519.

“It is a normal business trend. Sometimes the market booms, sometimes it doesn’t. It is on-season for handicrafts, so we have increased export,” said Krishna Sundar Hada, senior assistant at FHAN.

Export of Dhaka products increased by 50 per cent to reach Rs 282,791 this Shrawan. Allo goods also witnessed a hike in exports by 454 per cent to Rs 334,040, which was

Rs 60,247 last Shrawan. In the non-textile category, except silver jewellery, metal craft, plastic items and miscellaneous goods most products registered a growth. Silver jewellery export declined by three per cent, metalcraft came down by 38 per cent, plastic items by 37 per cent while miscellaneous goods’ exports decreased by 58 per cent.

Export of handmade paper increased by 35 per cent to Rs 23,341,223 while woodcraft rose by 30 percent to Rs 5,733,128. Bone and horn products went up by 127 per cent to Rs 3415259.

Similarly, export of leather goods, incense, Paubha (Thanka) ceramic products, beads items, stonecraft, and bamboo products too hiked.

FHAN clarified glass products used to be lumped in the miscellaneous category but due to increase in their export volume they have now been categorised separately. Glass products export during Shrawan 2008-09 fetched Rs 3,278,853, contributing one per cent to the total export earning.