Page 3 - Craftcil March 2026

Chairman’s Message

Dear Fellow Exporters,

The first edition of the Handicrafts Expo, Moradabad, held from 25th
February to 1st March 2026 at the Metal Handicrafts Service Centre,
Moradabad, witnessed an encouraging response. Showcasing the
grandeur of metalcraft, the event successfully blended B2B and B2C
engagements in a culturally rich setting, with live craft demonstrations
offering an immersive sourcing and shopping experience.
EPCH, in association with IEML, organised an interactive session aptly
titled, “Dialogue with Exporter Women from Industry (DEWI) : From Craft to Commerce” in New Delhi, bringing
together women exporter entrepreneurs from Moradabad for dialogue with senior leadership. The initiative
focused on empowering this segment that constitutes a significant part of our fraternity, through knowledge
sharing, mentorship and policy awareness, while supporting their transition to globally competitive enterprises.

EPCH continues to promote GI crafts by creating effective marketing platforms, particularly for micro and small
entrepreneurs, artisans and craftspeople. The Moradabad expo presented a vibrant range of GI-tagged products,
celebrating regional craftsmanship and export-quality handmade excellence under one roof. As part of the Bhartiya
Hastkala Utsav (National Handicrafts GI Expo) 2026 series, launched in January, similar exhibitions have been
successfully organised at craft hubs, with the recent one at Acropolis Mall, Kolkata, to enhance consumer awareness
and appreciation of GI crafts.

Aligned with our strategic emphasis on emerging trends and proactive skill and design interventions, five -month
Comprehensive Skill Upgradation Programme (CSUP) on Shola Pith Craft and Shell Craft concluded successfully,
nurturing thirty artisans in each craft.
Our seminars and workshops will continue to serve as vital knowledge platforms for stakeholders, addressing key
areas such as marketing strategies, entrepreneurship, product development and design, export schemes, design
forecasts, and export compliance, with a special focus on the India–UK FTA.

There is no denying that these are difficult times for everyone. The latest war on Iran has further pushed the geo
political unrest, making markets tentative. There is a surge in freight/insurance costs besides disruptions in
shipping routes. Locally too the energy supply could be affected and our input costs are on the rise. We have
taken up some issues with the Govt. of India for their intervention, The upside is that although since the pandemic,
unforeseen events have put us in difficult situations time and again, we have adapted and also learnt not to take
anything for granted. Together, we will negotiate through this tide too.

I invite you to share your thoughts with me at chairman@epch.com.

(Dr. Neeraj Khanna)
Chairman, EPCH

CRAFTCIL • MARCH 2026 3