Batik art struggling to survive in face of cheap imports
24 Sep '08
1 min read
Batik is one of the most renowned traditional arts of Indonesia. However, now this craft is struggling to survive. The key problem is the cheap batik imports from China.
Chinese batik products started entering Indonesia illegally almost four years ago and took the markets by storm.
According to the statistics, last year, the Chinese batik textile products worth HK $240 million came into Indonesia, accounting for 10 percent of country's domestic batik textile market.
These products are cheap as they are mass-produced, but also are just as attractive as the authentic versions.
Thus, many batik dealers prefer to trade Chinese items, which are cheap, sellable and earn larger profits.
This has seriously hit the traditional batik makers in Indonesia. Experts are urging the Government to keep a check on Chinese batik imports and take steps to uplift the traditional handicraft.