Srinagar: While online sales of many businesses picked up during the coronavirus lockdown, traditional Kashmiri artisans found no customers on the web portal the government had set up for them in the form of a “virtual fair”.
Artisans who would sell their goods through the government’s handicrafts department were told to put up their artefacts on the designated portal, but there was not much response.
“I thought it will be helpful, but except receiving feedback, there were no sales made. Many had put orders as well, but they were never realised,” said Ghulam Muhammad, a 65-year-old pashmina trader.
Muhammad, who is well known across India and many other countries, had put his shawls on the internet through his son, for the first time in the life.
“It did not work. I realised that either customers want to have a physical touch (of the fabric), or the time during which the trade was supposed to take place was short. It is understandable that the customer would have many doubts about buying such a prized item on the internet,” he said.
An official from the Handicrafts department told Kashmir Reader that the aim of the fair was to provide an alternative for the handicrafts trade. How it would work out depended upon the consumer, he said, adding that the department was working to make it better.
The Kashmiri handicrafts sector has faced immense losses since August last year when the Government of India scrapped J&K’s special status and imposed a month-long lockdown. This year, when there was slight easing of the restrictions, the traders were expecting sales but Covid-19 hit the sector again.
Amid this halt in sales, a lot of merchandise is unsold. Very limited new stock is being made, said Burhan, a Pashmina weaver. He said it was expected that new goods will be made only when the old ones are sold. That has not happened so far.
President of Kashmir Artisans Rehabilitation Forum, Parvez Ahmad Bhat, told Kashmir Reader that the virtual fair was a good move but it failed to generate sales. However, he said, at least a beginning was made.
In a sign of hope, recently a buyer-seller meet was held on September 29. There are 6-8 exhibitions planned in the future. But, an official said, a consensus has to be arrived at with other states before the exhibitions can be organised.
“If that does not happen, then it is difficult,” he added.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz