Amazon is witnessing a crowd of online shoppers for ethnic art and products ever since Gadhika products have been launched on the e-commerce platform by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe Development department.
Gadhika products — natural forest produce and eco-friendly handicraft made from bamboo, coconut and coconut shell, and for ornaments, food products, clothes, Wayanad turmeric, honey, pickles, puttu kutti, etc. — have been hand-crafted by tribespeople and artisans belonging to the Scheduled Castes.
Though the list of products have been uploaded on Amazon for six months now, it was officially launched only in December and within a month, the sale touched over ₹1 lakh, says Renjith Balaji, administrator, hand-holding cell of the department.
“We are moving at a slow pace, as it is important to have enough stock of products considering the huge response we have received within a month,” he told The Hindu. Besides, coordinating and bringing the artisans under a single umbrella is necessary to ensure the regular flow of products, he says.
As many as 240 products have been uploaded on the e-commerce platform and people can access them by searching Gadhika products. Products made by about 80 beneficiaries have been uploaded, he says. The products are reasonably priced.
The acceptance for the tribal products was also visible at the tribal festival ‘Gadhika’ that concluded in Kannur recently. The exhibition could attract over 50,000 people and there was record sale of over ₹45lakh.
Mr. Renjith says since the sale of products has evoked a huge response online and in exhibitions, the government has decided to give ₹50,000 to each entrepreneur as grant to increase the production and improve quality. Initially, the grant is given to those who are able to attract huge customers online. To meet the increasing demand they would require an investment, which is provided by the government, he adds.
