The growth was primarily on account of exports in the zari and zari goods segment, which increased by 92 per cent to Rs 116 crore during the period 2000-01 from Rs 60 crore in 1999-2000, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) said. Shawls witnessed 26 per cent export growth touching Rs 21 crore in 2000-2001 compared to Rs 17 crore, in the previous year, it added. Embroidered and crocheted goods rose by 26 per cent to Rs 1,564 crore in 2000-2001 from 1,240 crore in the previous period. Wood-wares export grew by 23 per cent in April-December 2000-2001 to Rs 248 crore from Rs 202 crore, during the nine months in 1999-2000, EPCH said.

Art-metal wares registered an 18 per cent increase to Rs 1,531 crore from Rs 1,296 crore, and hand printed textiles and scarves rose by 11 per cent to Rs 1,086 crore from Rs 979 crore during the same period.

However, imitation jewellery exports rose by nine per cent to Rs 84 crore during April-December 2000-2001 from Rs 77 crore, during the same period in the previous fiscal.

The target set for handicrafts in the current fiscal, other than carpets is Rs 6,950 crore in rupee terms and 1,660 million dollars in US dollar terms, the statement added.

Potential of bamboo
In view of the depletion of timber, industry should exploit the potential of bamboo as an important alternative raw material, by encouraging bamboo plantations and diversifying its use, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Omar Abdullah said.

"Encouraging bamboo plantations and imaginative use of bamboo as a material are the need of the hour," Mr Abdullah said at an exhibition on bamboo, organised by the National Institute of Design here.

He said increased pressure on forests and steady depletion of timber and other resources, make it imperative for the country to explore new material for industrial and structural application and bamboo is a strong and fast growing material.

Mr Abdullah pointed out that the model for cultivation and versatile utilisation of bamboo developed in China, was an attractive model which could be implemented by India as well.

"Bamboo is a versatile, sustainable and eco-friendly material and therefore, surely a material, not only for today but for the future as well," he said.

He said that design innovation and experimentation will promise the development of sustainable models, for conversion of bamboo into many new and interesting applications.

Mr Abdullah said the workshop, will direct its efforts on creating innovative design concepts using the new material bamboo boards, which are currently sourced from China.

The success of the effort, will help revive global interest in new ways in which this ancient material, can be reinvented for use in a sustainable manner, he added.