“For a long time, papier mache has been affiliated with the international market,” said Mohammad Mehdi, owner of handicrafts store Sunbeams in Srinagar.
“During Christmas, products like balls and bells were exported in millions. Similarly, during Easter, a large number of eggs were sent abroad.”
CLIENTS DO NOT WANT TO BUY IN BULK
Major exporters have linked the declining demand to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began almost three years ago, as well as conflict in the Middle East that was triggered by the Israel-Hamas war in October last year.
These exporters said their clients are now hesitant to buy in bulk because they are uncertain about whether people will purchase these items during difficult times.
“Our customers in Europe, the Middle East and America are afraid of importing our products,” said manufacturer and exporter Ubaid Ali.
“They tell us they don’t know what will happen in the future and people nowadays prefer to save money rather than spend it.”
The art form was already in trouble after recent setbacks that impacted the flow of tourists into the region.
These include the devastating 2014 Kashmir floods, the Indian government’s 2019 decision to revoke the partial autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, and the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In response, manufacturers like Ubaid have been looking to produce new products in hopes that they can attract the attention of clients.
But workers involved in the production of Christmas items have not been able to pivot as easily.
Meanwhile, artisans like Shah said they hope for peace, and that bringing these conflicts to an end will allow people to celebrate festivals and other occasions as they should.
