Chennai: Foreigners visiting the state government owned Poompuhar showrooms have been evincing special interest in purchasing bronze icons, brass ornamental lamps, rosewood utility items and Thanjavur paintings, thus constituting a bulk of the public enterprise’s sales. Realising its potential, Poompuhar has planned to take up e-commerce through its website to lure more global buyers.

During 2010–11, the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corpora-tion, familiarly known as Poompuhar, selling exquisite handicrafts of the state, has achieved a turnover of Rs 25.53 crore. It has set a sales target of Rs 50 crore for the current fiscal.

“The thematic exhibition held at Singapore in March this year evoked tremendous response from the Indian diaspora and we plan to go back to Singapore soon,” an official said.


Last year, the corporation, with a network of 15 showrooms across the Tamil Nadu, had organised 136 exhibitions registering a sale of Rs 7.22 crore. This year it has been planned to hold 200 exhibitions in various parts of the country to achieve a sales turnover of Rs 14 crore. It hopes the artifacts obtained from artisans and also those from its own production centres for brass lamps and brass artware, bronze icons in addition to stone sculptures, woodcarving, and Thanjavur art plates, etc, would help bolster the sales.

Presently, Poompuhar has bagged an order for Rs 35 lakhs to produce 20,000 brass lamps embossed with the deity’s image for distribution to devotees pulling the golden chariot at the Sri Dhandayuthapani temple in Palani.

According to sources in the Export Promotional Council of Handicrafts (EPCH), the country’s exports are expected to reach USD 2.7 billion this fiscal.


Source: Sep 14, 2011, Deccan Chronicle