10-27-2006, 09:52 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Chinese-made idols rule Indian markets</b>
NAYANIMA BASU
IANS[ SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2006 12:17:25 PM]
NEW DELHI:<b> Chinese-made idols of Hindu gods and goddesses are flooding Indian markets, especially during festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja and Ganesh Chaturthi, raking up a lot of moolah. On top of their neat and shiny appearance, consumers find the price tag just right.</b>
The demand for them is soaring, mainly because they are considered the best choice for decoration if not for immersion in ponds and lakes. And what began as a trickle some years ago has now become a flood.
"The demand has grown exponentially since last year and people are finding it more attractive than the Indian-made idols," Sharad Goyal of Kriti Creations, a shop in south Delhi's Khan Market, told IANS.
In the last one week the shop has sold more than 50-60 idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi, which Goyal says has meant an increase of 30 percent in profits from a year ago.
<b>Across the city, depending on their size, raw materials used and markets one goes to, the price of a pair of Ganesha and Lakshmi ranges from Rs.40 to as high as Rs.2,000. </b>
"Most of them illegally enter the Indian market, thanks to a strong network and distribution channel," said Bikky Khosla, chief executive of tradeindia.com, a leading B2B portal.
"The idol making industry is a huge market. So it is quite natural for Chinese businessmen to take advantage of this tremendous money-making potential," Khosla stressed.
The usual practice of Chinese manufacturers is to send an expert team to study the Indian market and understand the current trends, especially during the festive season. Armed with the knowledge, they produce in China in bulk what the Indians are looking for, with slight innovations and export them through various channels to this country with a cheaper price tag.
The figurines are made of papier mache, fibre glass and porcelain. All the idols are machine made, in contrast to the Indian counterparts that are more often than not hand crafted.
Said Arpana Singh, a young housewife: "The Chinese-made goods are much neater and shinier as they are moulded. People often prefer them as they are cheap and good for decorative purposes. But they are of doubtful quality."
Khosla said: "This huge influx of Chinese goods have killed almost 60 percent of our cottage industry. However, in this age of globalisation we cannot run away from these issues but we need to empower our artisans and give them proper training."
<b>The fact that a Communist nation that has no organized religion has no compunction about making Hindu gods to further business prospects is typical of the pragmatism that governs its economic philosophy and has made it one of the world's top trading nations. </b>.
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NAYANIMA BASU
IANS[ SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2006 12:17:25 PM]
NEW DELHI:<b> Chinese-made idols of Hindu gods and goddesses are flooding Indian markets, especially during festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja and Ganesh Chaturthi, raking up a lot of moolah. On top of their neat and shiny appearance, consumers find the price tag just right.</b>
The demand for them is soaring, mainly because they are considered the best choice for decoration if not for immersion in ponds and lakes. And what began as a trickle some years ago has now become a flood.
"The demand has grown exponentially since last year and people are finding it more attractive than the Indian-made idols," Sharad Goyal of Kriti Creations, a shop in south Delhi's Khan Market, told IANS.
In the last one week the shop has sold more than 50-60 idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi, which Goyal says has meant an increase of 30 percent in profits from a year ago.
<b>Across the city, depending on their size, raw materials used and markets one goes to, the price of a pair of Ganesha and Lakshmi ranges from Rs.40 to as high as Rs.2,000. </b>
"Most of them illegally enter the Indian market, thanks to a strong network and distribution channel," said Bikky Khosla, chief executive of tradeindia.com, a leading B2B portal.
"The idol making industry is a huge market. So it is quite natural for Chinese businessmen to take advantage of this tremendous money-making potential," Khosla stressed.
The usual practice of Chinese manufacturers is to send an expert team to study the Indian market and understand the current trends, especially during the festive season. Armed with the knowledge, they produce in China in bulk what the Indians are looking for, with slight innovations and export them through various channels to this country with a cheaper price tag.
The figurines are made of papier mache, fibre glass and porcelain. All the idols are machine made, in contrast to the Indian counterparts that are more often than not hand crafted.
Said Arpana Singh, a young housewife: "The Chinese-made goods are much neater and shinier as they are moulded. People often prefer them as they are cheap and good for decorative purposes. But they are of doubtful quality."
Khosla said: "This huge influx of Chinese goods have killed almost 60 percent of our cottage industry. However, in this age of globalisation we cannot run away from these issues but we need to empower our artisans and give them proper training."
<b>The fact that a Communist nation that has no organized religion has no compunction about making Hindu gods to further business prospects is typical of the pragmatism that governs its economic philosophy and has made it one of the world's top trading nations. </b>.
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