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New Delhi: For decades, the Bhadohi district in Uttar Pradesh earned global acclaim as the \u201cCarpet City,\u201d home to skilled artisans producing hand-knotted carpets treasured worldwide.<\/p>\nNew Delhi: For decades, the Bhadohi district in Uttar Pradesh earned global acclaim as the \u201cCarpet City,\u201d home to skilled artisans producing hand-knotted carpets treasured worldwide.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, today, stacks of unsold carpets fill warehouses, once-bustling export offices lie silent, and traders stare anxiously at the immovable piles, waiting for government intervention that may or may not come.<\/p>\n
The source of the crisis is clear: the United States\u2019 recent tariff hikes on hand-knotted carpets, which rose from 25 percent to 50 percent, have disrupted an industry that is almost entirely export-oriented.<\/p>\n
Imran Ali, a veteran carpet trader from Bhadohi, said: \u201cOur entire livelihood is tied to exports.\u201d \u201cAlmost everything we make goes abroad. There is barely any domestic market. These tariffs have brought our business to a grinding halt,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
He said the hand-knotted carpet industry is unique not just economically, but environmentally. Unlike large textile mills that rely on heavy machinery and emit pollution, Bhadohi\u2019s carpets are entirely handcrafted and carbon-neutral. \u201cWe actually contribute to the country\u2019s carbon credits,\u201d he explained, emphasising the sustainable nature of the craft.<\/p>\n
Rashid Ahmed, a senior weaver and exporter, explained: \u201cEven if the US were to impose a 500 percent duty, they still cannot produce hand-made carpets themselves. Yet these duties make our goods unaffordable and create hardships for both us and the consumers abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the stakes are enormous. Across eastern Uttar Pradesh, roughly 12\u201313 lakh people, including Muslim artisans and part-time farmers, depend on the carpet trade. Women form 25 percent of this workforce, many of whom are independent weavers working from home. \u201cThey manage households, care for children, and weave carpets according to their own schedules. This employment empowers them economically and socially,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The tariff increase has led to widespread delays and halted production. \u201cEven orders placed four to six months ago are now on hold,\u201d said Suhail Khan, a Bhadohi exporter. \u201cBuyers refuse to take delivery, saying, \u2018Sir, we cannot survive if we pay 25 percent duty; 50 percent is impossible.\u2019 We face a serious threat of irreversible losses if the situation continues,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Delhi: For decades, the Bhadohi district in Uttar Pradesh earned global acclaim as the \u201cCarpet City,\u201d home to skilled artisans producing hand-knotted carpets treasured worldwide. According to Kashmir Media Service, today, stacks of unsold carpets fill warehouses, once-bustling export offices lie silent, and traders stare anxiously at the immovable piles, waiting for government intervention …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":190075,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t