Handicrafts
Indian crafts present bigger opportunity than the manufacturing
Muradabad is sending warning signals to other manufacturing hubs. The manufacturing is at 65% to 75% of pre-covid levels. Unlike other manufacturing hubs, Moradabad exports traditional Indian craft items such as brass handicrafts and jewellery.
60% of the city’s residents depend on brass industry. It also employs 10 lakh workers. Covid and lockdown has increased the cost of raw items by 100%. Domestic demand is at its lowest. It picked up only during the festivals. Exports have decreased. As a result workers did not get salary for months. The current salary is less than the before.
As per Business Standard: While Moradabad’s brass manufacturing hub has been competing with producers in China for some time, the emergence of serious players like Iraq and Saudi Arabia could diminish its global dominance over the brass handicrafts market.
Moradabad should act as a blueprint for the Indian manufacturing hubs. Each state has such traditional handicrafts. Developing several such clusters across the India is easier than attracting newer industries and upskilling the workers.
Worth your time: History of Chanderi sarees Link