Ministry of Tribal Affairs today launched an online shopping portal for sale of authentic tribal products that will seek to create a 'niche' market for indigenous artisans.
The e-commerce portal, which features 69 tribal products like textiles, metal artifacts and jewellery, was launched by Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Raj V Kishore Chandra Deo.
By launching the portal, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) also aims to provide branding, source certification and developing standards for products.
Shawls, stoles and mufflers will be in available in Angora, sheep wool and Pashmina material from states like Orissa, Assam.
Paintings from four states and dokra metal artifacts and jewellery from states like Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh will also be available on the portal.
The online portal will initially be open for only Indian shoppers and for international buyers later. Detailed write- ups of the products will also be available.
"TRIFED have been making special efforts to promote the sales of handicrafts... Our effort is to see that the profits that we get percolate to the people manufacturing or collecting it," said Deo.
The Ministry also plans to launch a new website for the minor forest produce like honey and tamarind. The procuring agencies of the states will update the website with day-to-day rates and the Minimum Support Price of the product. Customers can also place in large orders for such products, he said.
