Tourism, rural sector roped in to transform struggling handlooms

• National Handloom Expo Ransalu now on in Colombo
• Handlooms Taskforce ready with plan
• Targets 50,000 producers in next 3 years

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and International Trade and Strategic Development Minister Malik Samarawickrama at the Ransalu National Handloom Expo at the BMICH yesterday

The Industry and Commerce Ministry is attempting to tap the tourism industry and provincial cottage industry infrastructure to transform the struggling handloom industry with a national blueprint targeting global markets.

“Sri Lanka’s handloom industry had 200,000 people but today this has fallen to 10,000,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, addressing the launch of the national handloom exhibition Ransalu at BMICH. Minister of International Trade and Strategic Development Malik Samarawickrama was also present at the launch.

The cottage level industry produces export quality designs and material. A great number of producers are of small and micro level.  The leading province in handloom production is the Western Province followed by the Eastern Province and the Central Province.

To develop this sector back to its former levels, the Ministry has set up a Handlooms Industry Taskforce which is focusing on tourism to popularise handlooms.

“Tourist arrivals are increasing and we are expecting more than three million tourists by 2020. The Government has formulated new infrastructure development plans for tourism. The Industry and Commerce Ministry’s Textile Department, National Design Centre and National Crafts Council with Moratuwa University are formulating a plan involving provincial level handlooms to link them to tourism. I also cleared purchase payment backlogs of Laksala shops under this Ministry and Laksala is now ready purchase your handlooms without any payment delays,” he said.

The Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board popularly known as ‘Laksala’ under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce promotes the sale of local handicrafts, gifts and souvenirs through its showrooms islandwide and provides essential market linkages to traditional craftsmen. During the Jan-September 2016 period Laksala revenues totalled Rs. 711 million when compared against Rs. 696 million in Jan-Sept 2015.