FHAN to set up lab to check lead, cadmium levels in goods
KATHMANDU: Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN) in joint effort with the Ministry of Industry (MoI) is all set to launch ‘Non-Destructive Technology-based Laboratory’. Government for the purchase of the cadmium testing and metal content machine will grant 49 per cent fund while 51 per cent of the total cost will be made by FHAN. Total purchase cost of the machine is about Rs 12 million.
The laboratory will be of international standard and will be based on Non-Destructive technology, informed FHAN president Bikash Ratna Dhakwa. He said that the Laboratory will be the first of its kind as it will be for the first time that a non-destructive technology will be used to check not only cadmium but whole metal range. “We are trying to purchase the machine from America or Japan”, he said, adding, “We, along with MoI are working on establishing the laboratory as soon as we get accreditation from the government along with 49 per cent of fund for its establishment.”
“We’ll apply to get international accreditation that will benefit our export sector,” added Dhakwa.
According to him, after the establishment of the laboratory, the new technology will help check the content of raw materials used to manufacture finished goods without destruction of the products. “For this, we need to study the American and European market standard and check the levels of lead and cadmium which impacts export,” he added.
Handicraft exports takes nosedive
KATHMANDU: A recent seven-month data has shown that the export of Nepali handicraft products has plunged to 11.48 per cent when compared with the corresponding period last year.
According to FHAN, compared to textile products, the export of non-textile products has increased only marginally by 0.19 per cent, while textile exports have fallen to 18.74 per cent. Most of the exportable products have observed a fall apart very few products with minimum increment in export.
FHAN statistic states, major fall in export has been observed in the textile category that is in Allo, Dhaka, Pashmina, Hemp, Silk, Silver and other miscellaneous textile products. Meanwhile, in non textile products, there export of Metal craft, woodcraft, born and horn products, incense, Thanka, Plastic items, beads, and bamboo has plunged.
Amongst the different handicraft products exported during the 7months though Pashmina export has fallen to 33.97 per cent compared to same period last year, it has the highest contribution to the total export that is 20.53 per cent, states FHAN.
Textile products have total contribution of 56.59 per cent in the total export. Total export during the seven month of the fiscal year 2009/10 is Rs 1.637 billion which was of Rs 1.849 billion last year.
