-SATISH HANDA

Finding wide scope for production of toys having annual sale worth Rs 16000 crore, large number of entrepreneurs in the country are now planning to set up toys manufacturing units to meet the demand of toys in the country including in Haryana state. Past scenario reveals that out of total annual sale of toys worth Rs 16000 crore in the country, toys of value worth Rs 12000 crore are being imported mainly from China every year. On the appeal of our Prime Minister Narender Modi sometime ago most of the exporters as well as bulk traders selling toys in the country said good-by to products being imported from China, which severely affected the sale of products imported from China including toys as a result sale of toys manufactured in India witnessed over 25% growth in past few months and large number of entrepreneurs are now planning to start manufacturing toys in the country or expand their business network.

N.K. Gupta of Toys Association of India said, there are between 300-400 large toys manufacturing units in the country at present, besides nearly 10000 small scale tiny manufacturers of toys functioning in residential areas all over in the country mainly at Delhi, Mumbai, Rajkot, Karnatka and Noida in U.P. state. He told that a toy park has been developed on Yamuna Express Way at Greater Noida having 18 large toys manufacturing units at present and there is a proposal to develop a hub for manufacturing toys in this complex in about 100 acres area.

Gupta said, domestic wholesale suppliers of toys were dependant on the toys manufactured in China due to limited sources available in our country. He said, toys imported from China are cheaper in price by 30 to 40 percent as compared to indigenously manufactured toys. According to toys manufacturer, their production cost is higher due to costly basic raw material, lack of cooperation by the government as a result domestic manufacturers are unable to compete toys manufacturers in China. He said, government should support small manufacturers as well as starts up providing them plots to set up their units, provision for loans from the banks, installation of solar plants for regular power supply and special incentives in order to meet increasing unemployment in the country and also wipe out Chinese products from our country, which would not only make us self dependant but also toys manufacturers in the country will be in a position to export toys to other countries also after a couple of years.