Helmand handicraft producers demand creation of special market

LASHKARGAH (Pakhwok): Some handicraft producers in southern Helmand province who produce handicrafts in their houses have complained about the lack of a special market for their products.

They said due to the non-availability of proper market their products could not be sold.

Imran, one of the producer from Mukhtar area said, we produce children’s caps, hand-embroidered clothes, dresses, scarves and some other clothes and sell our products in the market at low price due to the lack of a special handicraft market in Lashkargah.

He said: “We produce hand-embroidered clothes, scarves, children’s women’s outfits and some other items in our houses and sell them to ordinary shopkeepers in the market on their favorable prices.”

Naveed Ahmad, another resident of Lashkargah said, my family members are involved in handicrafts production inside our house, all of the produced times are duped inside our house due to the lack of special handicraft market.

Naveed Ahamd said: “I take my hand-embroidered clothes back to my home, I could not sell them because the ordinary shopkeepers wanted them for a lower price than what we spent on it. There is no profit for us in such price.”

He asked the government and other relevant institutions to set up a special market for handicrafts in Helmand to further expand this business and support the economy of such entrepreneurs.

Economy expert, Asadullah Andial told Pajhwok Afghan News it is very important to set up a special handicraft market for the improvement of this business, right now most of the handicraft-producers especially the women have good talents in the production of such items, if the government and other relevant organization pay attention to this business and introduce their products on regional level, that help a lot.

Andial said: “The government has the duty to support handicraft-business, set up special markets for handicraft products, help in marketing and introduce such products to markets on international level.”

To further improve this business, Andial asked government to facilitate the producers with micro-loans and help to start their businesses.

Maulvi Fazal Mohammad Fazli, provincial industry and commerce director told Pajhwok, efforts are underway to for the enhancement of this business and find a suitable market for such products in Helmand.

Fazli said: “The directorate of industry and commerce has a plan to set up a special market for handicrafts in Helmand and facilitate the producers to sell their products on their favorable retail prices.”

The construction of such a market is possible at a time when the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) completes a special procedure for it, Fazli added.

Aw/nh