The State Government is looking at ways to promote the sale of handloom products through social media, a Handlooms Department official said here.
Officials of the Department, weaver service centres and the weavers from Pollachi and Sirumugai areas had a virtual meeting on Friday to discuss the challenges faced by handloom weavers because of the COVID-19 spread.
The meeting was organised as part of the National Handloom Day. With physical distancing restrictions in place, only about 10 weavers from each cluster took part.
The official said that with 60 handloom co-operative societies, nearly 15,000 weavers attached to these societies and an equal number of independent weavers, Coimbatore district was one of the largest handloom producing centres.
The main challenge faced by these weavers now was marketing. At exhibitions held at industries and colleges on National Handloom Day last year products worth nearly ₹1 crore were sold. The expo could not be held this year owing to COVID-19 restrictions. But, the products need to be marketed.
As there were stocks with the societies and weavers were getting some orders, the focus now was on sales. Hence, the government was looking at ways to promote handloom weaves through social media. To support the weavers during the lockdown, the State Government disbursed ₹ 2,000 for each handloom weaver family that had free power connection. There was a demand to continue with such a support till the situation became normal.
