Amazon India today announced that it has signed an MoU with Manipur Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited (MHHDCL), a Government of Manipur Enterprise to support the growth of artisans and weavers across the state. As part of this MoU, Amazon India has launched the Panthoibi Emporium on its marketplace, under the Amazon Karigar program. Through this launch, Amazon India aims to empower the growth of over 300,000 artisans and weavers associated with Panthoibi Emporium. This initiative is driven by the intent to encourage digital inclusion and empower the artisan and weaver community, offer economic opportunities by becoming Amazon sellers, as well as job creation.
Sellers part of ‘Panthoibi Emporium’ will be able to avail benefits such as personalized training for a quick start, increased customer visibility and dedicated marketing support among others. This association will also enable these weavers to access a potentially wider market base, bringing in greater recognition for their work and providing more employment opportunities. Millions of Amazon.in’s customers from across the country can access and shop from a wide variety of products like Kauna Crafts – Water Reed, Manipuri Rani Phee and food items like black rice, forest forage teas, GI tagged chili, GI tagged lemon and oranges, amongst others offered by Panthaoibi Emporium unique to Manipur.
Honorable Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N Biren Singh said, “This is an important development towards empowering the local weavers and artisans associated with Panthoibi Emporium, a unit of Manipur Handlooms & Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd. (MHHDCL). Given Amazon’s prowess in ecommerce, this association will open up unlimited opportunities for them to grow and scale their business. Aided with the right tools, technology, and insights, MSMEs can play a definite role in accelerating the growth of the Indian economy. Therefore, it is important that the e-commerce ecosystem and its key stakeholders work towards enabling more and more small businesses with capacity building activities.”
Sumit Sahay, Director, Selling Partner Services, Amazon India said, “Manipur is known for its handicraft and handloom industry across the world. The launch of Panthoibi Emporium on the marketplace further adds to our mission to make Indian arts and crafts accessible to customers through Amazon Karigar program and digitize 10 million MSMEs by 2025. We will continue to collaborate with organizations like Manipur Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited (MHHDCL) to expand product selection by bringing in local art forms benefitting craftsmen through Amazon Karigar program, in the process, and make Amazon.in marketplace selection truly representative of India’s rich culture.
Elangbam Jeeten Singh, Managing Director of Manipur Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited said, “Our collaboration with Amazon will play a pivotal role in enabling the 300,000+ artisans and weavers associated with Panthoibi Emporium to accelerate their growth through ecommerce. This launch will bring higher visibility amongst customers who look for a huge variety of handicraft and handloom products made by craftspeople from Manipur. Selling online will empower these weavers with the support needed to scale their business by reaching a larger pool of customers. It will also bring attention to locally produced products from the state that are representative of our rich cultural heritage.”
Since the launch of the Amazon Karigar program in 2016, Amazon India has onboarded more than 3,700 master weavers, co-operatives, artisans and regional APEX bodies to sell on Amazon.in. The program has impacted the lives of over 13 lakh artisans and weavers. Amazon.in has also collaborated with 30 Government Emporiums and 7 Government bodies to showcase authentic crafts to craft lovers and increase market connectivity. Today, Karigar showcases over 1.7 Lakh products, including 450+ unique arts and crafts from over 27 states and union territories, and provides Indian handicraft and artisan communities’ enhanced visibility by enabling them to sell their products to a large customer base.
