Absence of financial linkages with the clusters is a bottleneck for artisans, needing support and out-of-box thinking

Despite challenges, Tripura handloom and sericulture is coming of age. Not only is the state proactively seeking market linkages, it is effectively overhauling the entire value chain starting from training of weavers, thinking of financing for farmers and weavers and finally, creating a new market.

In an exclusive interview with Business North East, the Director of Handloom, Handicrafts, and Sericulture in Tripura Tarun Debbarma discusses the strengths, opportunities, and bottlenecks in the sector.

BNE- How are you creating a market for Tripura handlooms outside the state and region?

TD- We have a handloom and handicraft development corporation for marketing our products. This corporation purchases from our clusters. They sell it outside the state through outlets. We have an outlet in Guwahati, five in Kolkata, one in New Delhi, and in all our sub-divisions in the state. Besides, these clusters are selling it outside also and we are coding products. After coding and bar coding, we will be tying up with online marketing platforms like Amazon or some other organization. We would like to open our stall in Mumbai under PPP mode and one in Bangalore and Chennai. This mission is called Sankalp Patra. We will reach to metros soon.

BNE- Please tell us more about the Amazon plan?

TD- Through Amazon, we would like to expose our handloom and handicrafts items. We have wall panels that can be marketed. It is fixed with thin cardboard of plywood. These are tucked into the walls through wooden structures. 

For wall panels, we have an expert center at Jogendra Nagar. Not all the clusters are doing that. For this, 20-50 artisans are involved. We are already making a list of items for commercial sale on Amazon. These are mostly furniture and gift items. Furniture may be office furniture, dining table furniture, book shelves, kitchen furniture, garden chairs, etc. In total, we have more than 7000 artisans.

BNE-  What are the key challenges and opportunities you see for the homegrown industry in Tripura, and what strategies are being implemented to address them?

TD- We have a lot of potential in handloom, handicrafts, and sericulture. We cannot cater to the needs of silk sarees in Tripura. The market of Tripura is flooded with silk sarees from West Bengal.
We have an outlet for our own products but that is insufficient. We are catering only 10 percent to 20 percent. In the category of handicrafts, we have a place at the national level also. Our furniture is being valued. But we need to depend on innovative and quality production now. We are going to support training soon with empanelled experts from next month onwards for artisans. Innovation and quality are required now. 

Both in handloom and handicraft sectors, there is a need to produce readymade garments. Earlier, we were producing only local attires. This time we have already introduced a local attire section made in our various clusters. We already have constructed outlets for readymade garments. We stitch johar coats, coats, petticoats, and other types of jackets, and sheets. We are a national winner for our bedsheets.

We need a good online marketing system (besides Amazon). We need to tie up with some in the corporate sector like Tata Apparels, Birla Apparels, Raymond’s and others. Once our cluster ties up with these kinds of MNCs then our corporation will be limited to products of our own states. In order to cater to the needs of the young generation we need to focus on good quality readymade garments. For this, we engage designers to produce fashionable garments.

BNE-  How is the government supporting development of the handloom, handicraft, and sericulture in Tripura? What policies or incentives are in place to encourage that growth?

TD- One big bottlenecks is that none of our clusters have financial linkages. They are procuring their own material from their clusters and they are manufacturing it themselves. If we can provide them with financial linkages then they will have budgetary or monetary issues. Then they can go for better materials and innovations. That’s why innovation is lacking now. They manufacture authentic goods, no doubt, but there is not much decoration or embroidery. Now even in bamboo craft or cane craft, you can add embroidery as well. Due to the paucity of funds, we are not able to go for innovation. This is one sector which needs importance.

BNE-  What efforts are being made to promote traditional and indigenous art forms and crafts, and how are they being integrated into the broader market, including e-commerce and exports?

TD- Basically, our handloom clusters mostly manufacture traditional attires only for various communities.  This is in demand in cities and villages as well. Mostly, in 90 percent of clusters they manufacture traditional types. We have a corporation which is purchasing lots of traditional attires and home furnishings. We have started e-commercing but it is not yet popularized. Once we tie up with some MNCs, this could give a big leap to our products nationally and internationally.

BNE- Can you discuss any recent or upcoming initiatives to improve the skill development and training of artisans and weavers in Tripura?

TD- In all our handicrafts sectors from next month we are going to impart training on handicrafts with empanelled experts (Master Trainers). It is approved by the government of India, commissioner of handicrafts. There will be a lot of innovations as well. Let us see what can be done to upgrade their skills.
For handloom also we have a central project running in 12 centres where good practices of other states will be included. We will visit Mizoram, Nagaland, and Assam which have similar traditional dresses like Tripura. 

BNE- What about production methods and demand for organic products?

TD- Silk production is a very strenuous process.  Without using chemicals you cannot do it. You need to treat this material with chemicals like washing, colouring, etc. But our mulberry itself is completely based on nature. We don’t use any manure or fertilizers. It is different from muga grown in Assam and Meghalaya.