E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, SEP 01 -

Nepali handicraft producers who often have to struggle to showcase and market their products have reason to rejoice. The Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) has just opened Handicraft Emporium, an exclusive showroom at Thamel, where they can showcase their goods in a prime tourist location.

This new initiative of FHAN is not only a one-stop solution for handicraft producers but also for handicraft enthusiasts. FHAN has been providing space at this exclusive showroom to handicraft producers to showcase and sell their products.

The product line-up includes pashmina products, paper crafts, cultural dolls, metal crafts, stone dust products, cotton products and silver jewellery, among others.

FHAN said the emporium has been envisaged to address the needs of both buyers and small and micro enterprises engaged in the handicraft sector. “The emporium is expected to benefit both buyers and sellers of Nepali handicrafts,” said FHAN director general Dilip Khanal.

The emporium presently showcases handicraft products from Bhaktapur Crafts Paper, Cultural Handicraft Dolls, Lalitpur Handicraft Association, MQS Enterprises, Palanchok Bhagwati Pashmina Industry, Rajib Handicraft Industry, Sana Hastakala, Swayambhu Ratna Dhakhwa and T. Muni Crafts.

According to FHAN, the products of these firms will be replaced after three months by goods from nine other handicraft manufacturers. “Nine manufacturers are selected each time on a first come, first served basis,” said Prabal Shakya, a member of FHAN’s emporium committee.

“We have allocated space to handicraft producers at a relatively low rental,” said Shakya. “The monthly rent is Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000 for a stall with an area of 89 sq ft.”

Handicraft entrepreneurs are hopeful of increased sales through the emporium. Sunita Balami of Cultural Handicraft said that entrepreneurs could benefit by the opportunity to showcase their products in a major tourist area.

Entrepreneurs have said that FHAN should conduct greater publicity about the emporium. They also want FHAN to extend the period to showcase their products. “We want the period to be extended to six months to display our products,” said Parbati Shrestha, proprietor of Palanchok Bhagwati Pashmina Industry.

According to Shrestha, her company offers pashmina products including medium and large size shawls and scarves costing from Rs 800 to Rs 3,000. “We are hopeful our sales will go up by more than 20 percent at the emporium,” Shrestha added.

FHAN is planning to expand publicity about the emporium. Shakya said that the federation would intensify promotion mainly through tourism outlets including hotels and airports and tourism-based magazines and on the web. “We are planning to conduct events like Pashmina Week and Paper Craft Week to promote particular Nepali handicrafts.”

Posted on: 2011-09-01 09:10

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