Gujarat to sign deals with Flipkart and Snapdeal to put handicrafts online

Gujarat will be the first state to strike deals with commercial online portals to encourage its handicrafts. As the Gujarat State Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation (GSHHDC) are in advanced stage of entering into an agreements with Flipkart and Snapdeal.

Gujarat handloom and handicrafts like Patolas, Bandhanis, hand-blocked printing and variety of products from the desert district of Kutch under the brand name Garvi Gurjari will be sold online.

The state government perceives that by putting up Gujarat’s handloom and handicrafts on shopping portals, it would be able to generate good revenue for the artisans. This would give a big boost to nearly 50,000 handloom and handicraft artisans across the state who sell their products through GSHHDC.

At present, the total annual revenue of GSHHDC is more than Rs.30 crore. By going online, it would not only boost the state public sector unit but also bring a good income to the artisans.

Currently, the corporation sells its stuff through 23 emporiums across the country but tourists and connoisseurs have to visit these shops to buy things.

According to GSHHDC managing director D.K. Sharma, there is a good demand for handicraft items in India and abroad. With the state’s handloom and handicrafts going online, it would do better. In fact, the corporation is poised to start its very own shopping portal but later.

GSHHDC, under the name Garvi-Gurjari organizes some 60 handicraft and handloom exhibitions every year across India. The revenue earned through these exhibitions after deducted the administrative and handling charges for these exhibition, the rest of the earnings is given to the artisans and craftsmen.