Amid the backdrop of the faceoff between China and India in the Galwan Valley, the anti-Chinese sentiment among the buyers and sellers have started to show its effect as the demand of locally produced Rakhi’s has increased. During every Raksha Bandhan festival China alone used to contribute about Rs 4,000 crore business. But this year, India has filled that vacuum with our swadeshi products.
A trader from Kalbadevi Mumbai said, “People are refusing to buy Chinese rakhi’s due to strains between India and China. Women are preferring India-made rakhi’s to Chinese rakhi’s. The locals also intend to boost the Indian economy by buying local rachi’s”.
Another trader Sajjad Shaikh from Crawford market in Mumbai told Afternoon Voice, “Till last year people used to ask for fancy but reasonably priced Rakhi, this year the moment they step into the shop, they themselves volunteer saying, not to show Chinese Rakhi”.
A street side Rakhi vendor said, “Clients are refusing to buy Chinese rakhis. Their first question is whether the rakhi is Chinese or not. Local handmade rakhis are sold in big quantities. Comparatively little costlier but people don’t mind spending”. This year we have got rakhis from Jaipur, Gujrat and Kolkata. Less people are stepping out due to Covid-19. During COVID pandemic, small scale Indian Rakhee makers got good orders”.
According to marketers, buyers are showing interest in local products and are willing to pay a higher price for Rakhi’s made in Indian sourced materials instead of China sourced products. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) announced in its press statement that “‘Rakhi’ products from China worth an estimated Rs 4,000 crore will take a hit ahead of the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival to be celebrated on August 3. In the last few years, China-made Rakhi’s and other products essential for making Rakhi’s such as foam, pearls, drops, thread, decorative thali etc. have captured a significant share in the Indian market,”. CAIT further stated that as per an estimate, about 50 crore Rakhi’s are sold every year in India, amounting to about Rs 6,000 crore, out of which China’s exports alone are valued at about Rs 4,000 crore.
Radha Shere a housewife, said, “I used to buy Chinese rachis but now I am buying only India-made Rakhi. No Indian should boost the economy of a country that is a menace to us? Made in China products should be banned by all of us, the country that attacks our soldier brothers needs to learn its lesson.”
Meanwhile, The Government of India amended the General Financial Rules 2017 to enable imposition of restrictions on bidders from countries which share a land border with India on grounds of defence of India, or matters directly or indirectly related thereto including national security, an official statement said. The Department of Expenditure has, under the said Rules, issued a detailed order on public procurement to strengthen the defence of India and national security, it said. “The new provisions will apply to all new tenders. In respect of tenders already invited, if the first stage of evaluation of qualifications has not been completed, bidders who are not registered under the new Order will be treated as not qualified,” it said.
If this stage has been crossed, ordinarily the tenders will be cancelled and the process started de novo, it said, adding that the order will also apply to other forms of public procurement. It does not apply to procurement by the private sector.
