Handicraft industry requires collective work - Expert

24 Feb '10

2 min read

Chairman of the Vietnam Handicraft Villages Association, Mr. Vu Quoc Tuan opined that handicraft producers need to work co-operatively to tap new export markets and to elevate their export potential as the absence of teamwork among handicraft entrepreneurs has affected their ability to attain huge orders, he said.

While speaking at a meeting held recently, he added that many handicraft villages and facilities in the country can't handle large orders as they are operated on small scale. Currently, the handicraft industry is going through a difficult phase wherein it is facing challenges such as material scarcity and complex export procedures.

The handicraft industry has to import 60 percent of the inputs required to manufacture products which increases production cost of the item and lessens its competitiveness, said the Agro-Forestry-Fishery Products Processing and Trade Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

As per Mr. Yoko Kawaguchi, Senior Consultant with the ASEAN-Japan Centre, the handicraft products of the country are comparatively poor in terms of design and comprise very few local features, which make it unable to acquire footing in the global market.

He stated that handicraft producers should conduct related surveys to update their knowledge about market trends and consumer needs, as a number of traditional handicraft items were unable to create impact in the international market because they were not at par with customer's tastes, informed one of the industry entrepreneurs.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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