Rajasthan's handicrafts industry shows signs of recovery

Jaipur, Mar. 23 (ANI): Handicraft exporters from Rajasthan are taking a sigh of relief as imports from the US - a major importer of Rajasthani handicraft items - start picking up.

During the present fiscal, Rajasthan's handicraft exporters suffering due to global recession.

Many handicraft units in Rajasthan were shut down, but things have started picking up now.

Out of total handicraft exports of around 100 billion rupees, the United States alone imports about fifty to sixty percent annually.

Indian Industry is optimistic that 2010-11 fiscal year would account for exports worth 50 billion rupees to the US market.

"If you see this financial year, it will go down comparable to the last financial year. But January onwards, we have noticed that especially North American market sentiments have improved and the financial year 2010 - 2011 will be better for handicraft," said Dilip Vaid, chairman of Federation of Indian Export Organisation.

"Because of the improvement in the American market the sale of Christmas 2009 was better than the last year," he added. (ANI)