SATISH HANDA
A study reveals that nearly 80% toys sold in India are being imported from other countries including nearly 70% toys are imported from China. Public as well as government decision to impose ban over products imported from China and make country self depended on indigenously manufactured products now local manufacturers has started efforts to develop variety of toys in the country and government has assured to provide full support to toy industry in the country. According to information, there are nearly 4000 micro, small and medium toys manufacturing units in the country which include 75% micro units, 22% small units and only 3% medium and large manufacturing units in the country most of them situated at Delhi and NCR, Mumbai, U.P and southern part in the country having annual turnover worth Rs 8000 crore, which include nearly3000 crore in organized sector and about 5000 crore in unorganized sector usually manufacturing toys from plastic, rubber, metal, textile, soft plush to manufacture variety of dolls and mechanical toys having only 1.5% share of total production of toys in the country.
Government of India recently during a toys trade fair in order to make country self dependant in the field of toy manufacturing, impose ban over import of toys from China increased duty on imports of toys by 200 per cent in February 2020, recently has brought toys industry under 24 priority sectors in the country and decided to boost this industry offering attractive packages and incentives to this industries manufacturing toys under ‘Make in India’ campaign.. Government has also introduced quality control rules during budget 2020-21 to enable toys industry to export goods in international markets.
According to ASSOCHAM study, toys industry could not do well in past four to five years in the country and nearly 45% toys manufacturing units were closed down in this period, another nearly 20% units are on way to sickness and need oxygen immediately for their survival. Survey also revealed that there is hardly 20-25% consumption of costly indigenously manufactured toys in the country and nearly 59% toy manufacturers in the country focusing on cheap toys. A study reveals, between year 2019 to 2014, nearly157% growth in production of toys has been recorded in international market which include 84% in China, 35% in Taiwan, 33% in South Korea and 17.2% in Singapore.
To have a look at 55 registered units manufacturing traditional toys in our country include 8 units in Andhra Pradesh, 9 units in Gujarat, 11 units in Karnatka, 15 units in U.P, 12 units in West Bengal. Similarly, in case of manufacture of modern toys there are 82 registered units in the country which include 11 units at Bangalore in Andhra Pradesh, one unit each at Hyderabad in Telenganga, and at Chinnai in Tamilnadu, 14 units each at Mumbai in Maharashtra and at Meerut in U.P, 27 units at Delhi and NCR, 5 units at Ahmedabad in Gujarat and 9 units at Kolkata in West Bengal.
