Srinagar | Authorities in Kashmir have issued a seven-day deadline to handicraft dealers in the Valley to remove all machine-made products from their showrooms, failing which they will be blacklisted and deregistered for trade practices, an official spokesperson said on Friday.
According to the notice issued by the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom, these machine-made products are largely imports from Turkey and Iran, sold as genuine Kashmiri handicraft products.
"You have been granted registration under provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourist Trade Act, 1978, for sale of Kashmir handicraft products at your respective showrooms or outlets ... As part of the registration process, you have submitted a duly-sworn affidavit, wherein you undertake to exclusively display and sell genuine Kashmir handicraft products at your business establishment," the notice read.
It said that during recent inspections conducted by the department, it was found that several dealers have breached the extant rules by displaying and selling machine-made products, misrepresented as genuine Kashmiri handicrafts.
Such malpractices undermine the authenticity and reputation of Kashmiri handicrafts, the notice read.
It added that several Kashmiri handicrafts are registered under the Geographical Indication of Goods Act (GI), Registry of India, Chennai. To curb misbranding and promote genuine products, the department has introduced GI-based QR labelling for various crafts.
"However, it came to our notice that a dealer recently affixed a fake QR label on a machine-made carpet, misrepresenting it as a genuine handmade product. Consequently, he has been blacklisted and deregistered," the notice said.
The notice directed all registered dealers to remove machin-made products from their showrooms within seven days and to ensure that all relevant documents, including the GI labelling certifications, are prominently displayed at the showrooms for inspection.
The notice also advised all unregistered dealers and hawkers involved in trade of Kashmiri handcrafts to immediately approach the Quality Control Division of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department for registration of their establishments under the Jammu and Kashmir Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1978.
