Brisk business for Indian handicraft stalls

DUBAI - India is eager to set up a strong market for handicraft products in the UAE because of the large number of Western tourists visiting the country.

Dhanusha Gokulan

Published: Tue 10 Feb 2009, 1:45 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 9:37 AM

Indian government departments such as the Ministry of Rural Development and the Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board have set up their stalls in Global Village for the first time this year.

Environment-friendly clothing, handmade soaps, bamboo mats, embroidered table clothes, bed spreads and sandalwood perfumes are among the products that have been popular at the stalls in Global Village.

Mahadevan K., extension officer of the Kerala Khadi and Village Industries, said opening the stall in Global Village is a direct initiative of the Kerala government to encourage the sale of khadi products.

Khadi is traditional hand-woven Indian clothes, which have zero-carbon footprints. The village industry has brought in various other products including handicrafts, herbal medicines and other handmade leather and jute commodities. ‘This is the first time that the Khadi board is coming to the UAE and we are testing the waters. If the response is good, we would set up a permanent base in the UAE,” said Mahadevan.

The economic recession is a minor setback to the business, he added.

“Business during the weekend is good; a wide majority of foreign tourists and locals are attracted to the environment-friendly khadi shirts and sandalwood oil,” said Mahadevan.

The Ministry of Rural Development opened five stalls on February 5. The stalls sell reasonably priced handcrafted colorful products made by rural craftsmen of India. Sunil Bhatia, CEO of Indian Pavilion at Global Village, said since the beginning of the Dubai Shopping Festival, crowds to the Global Village have increased substantially. Global Village which is open till February 21 had a record crowd on February 6, but did not give exact number.

dhanusha@khaeleejtimes.com