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Gulzar Ahmed Bhat, former carpet weaver of India Jammu and KashmirHas given up his 35 year old art of selling tea on the banks of Dal Lake. increased US tariffs This left him unable to afford his children’s school fees or medicines for his family of six.
Thousands of Indian artisans and weavers have been hit. US President Donald Trump’s move to double tariffs on Indian goods in August up to 50. Bhatt, 49, hired a weaver to create his last carpet before giving up his tools.
“This profession is dying,” he told Reuters days before his career change. According to industry estimates, the US buys about 60% of India’s handmade carpets.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir, with a handicraft industry that employs about 400,000 people, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Industries Chamber, is known for its Persian-style tufted and knotted varieties.
Genuine hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets are usually made from pure silk and sometimes pure wool, which is more challenging. Generations of artisans have handed down this craft over the centuries to ensure their survival, and while carpets are sold at commanding prices, most craftsmen can barely make ends meet.
Indian carpet and handicraft exports fell more than 16% in September from a year earlier, forcing small manufacturers to cut jobs and postpone expansion plans, according to trade ministry data.
“Business is slowing down due to the increase in US tariffs…many workers are losing jobs and moving to other jobs, leading to the loss of traditional skills,” said Mujtaba Qadri of M&K Exports, a company that sells shawls and rugs mainly in the US.
A trade ministry official said New Delhi was trying to help affected exporters by giving them financial incentives and helping them sell in new markets. But local exporters warned that this could take time.
Tariff The peak export season from October to December is being hit and winter orders are being held up, leaving unsold goods sitting in warehouses, while the entire business cycle is at risk of being wiped out.
Mohammed Yacoub Bafanda, 40, a third-generation carpet maker, says the tariffs are the latest blow to an already struggling industry.
His family business has shrunk from 100 handlooms in his father’s time to about 20 now, he said, adding that the number of weavers has also declined from 300 to just “four or five”.
“If the 50% tax continues, this industry will collapse,” Bafunda said. “I have 40 to 50 carpets in stock and no buyers.”
Additional reporting by AP.