Top Five Indian Cottage Industries

chillibreeze writer — Anna Kurian

The term ‘cottage industry’ is used when products are manufactured on a small scale. These products are mainly crafts that require traditional skills and cannot be mass produced.

India is well known for its large number of traditional cottage industries. But with the advent of the industrialization, cottage industries witnessed a sharp decline. However, the government has taken steps to revive cottage industries and they now play an important part in contributing to the economy of the country.

The top five Indian cottage industries are cotton weaving, silk weaving, carpet making, leather industry and metal handicrafts.

Cotton weaving is a very important cottage industry in India. This skill dates back to ancient times as cotton clothing is widely worn around the country. Indian cotton weaving is known for traditional designs and patterns done by skillful weavers with their looms. The cotton industry in India is concentrated in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.

Silk weaving is another famous cottage industry in India. India is one of the major producers and consumers of silk as it is worn on special occasions such as weddings and festivals. Mulberry, Muga, Tassore, and Eri are the types of silk produced in India. Around 70% of the silk weaving industry in India is concentrated in Karnataka.

Carpet making was introduced in India during the Mogul era. Even though the Kashmiri carpets are world famous for their fine quality, India also is known for its durries and coir mats. The carpet making industry in India is in Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. The Government of India has set up the Carpet Export Promotion Council for promoting hand-knotted rugs and all other types and styles of floor coverings from around the country.

India is a supplier of high quality leather to the global market. The Indian tanning industry can produce around 10% of the global demand. This industry employs around 2.5 million people and is considered one of the major export earners for India. The major leather producing regions in India are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Metal has always been used in India to make figurines, utensils, jewelry. Metal handicrafts have a distinctly Indian touch and are widely appreciated around the world. They have been a significant contributor to the Indian economy.

Cottage Industries are of cultural and economic importance to India. They keep the age old traditions alive and also provide employment to a number of people. Support should be provided by the community to prevent exploitation and further develop these industries as they face stiff competition from other economies.

 

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in May, 2011. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

 

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