A 26 per cent reciprocal tariff imposed by the US on Indian items has additional strained the already struggling Kashmiri handicrafts sector.
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NISSAR AHMAD
The Valley’s famed carpet industry is struggling for orders with the Russia-Ukraine battle resulting in dip in demand.
As soon as a serious vacation spot for Kashmiri hand-knotted silk carpets, Russia and a number of European international locations have scaled again imports. In keeping with the Valley-based exporters, carpet commerce quantity has plummeted by greater than 70 %.
Sheikh Ashiq, a distinguished carpet exporter and former president of Chamber of Commerce and Industries ( KCCI) advised businessline that carpet industry had taken a success as a result of Russia-Ukraine battle.
Including to the woes, a 26 % reciprocal tariff imposed by the US on Indian items has additional strained the already struggling Kashmiri handicrafts sector.
Demand drop
“Russia is our recognized market. Excessive-value hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets have a robust presence there, however ever because the conflict started, demand has dropped drastically. Patrons are holding again their orders”, he stated.
Ashiq described 2024 as one of the crucial troublesome years the industry has confronted.
A senior official on the Division of Handicrafts and Handloom stated that the continuing international conflicts in Europe and the Center East have had a noticeable affect on the industry.
In 2017, Kashmir’s handmade carpet industry was at its peak, with exports reaching ₹821.50 crore, making it the area’s main export sector. Since then, the industry has seen a big downturn. By the monetary yr 2023–24, carpet exports had declined sharply to ₹317 crore.
As demand for Kashmiri silk carpets continues to fall, the variety of exporters engaged within the commerce has additionally considerably decreased.
“There was 20 to 30 carpet exporters. Now that quantity has come down to simply 4 or 5,”,stated Ashiq.
Javed Ahmad Tenga, president Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries stated that patrons within the US and different international locations had held off shipments following the introduction of tariffs.
“Given the present state of affairs, we’ve got determined to hunt curiosity subvention from the federal government,” he stated.
The roots
The custom of hand-knotted carpets in Kashmir traces its roots again to the fifteenth century, when, throughout the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, expert weavers from Persia and Central Asia arrived and educated native artisans. In keeping with the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (2016–17), Budgam district has the best variety of carpet models, with 634 recorded.
Printed on April 9, 2025
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