Flipkart, Department of MSME sign MoU for better market access

It is aimed at promoting Karnataka’s arts, crafts and handloom sectors

A file photo of artistes engaged in Kinnal craft.

Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and the Department of MSME and Mines, Government of Karnataka, have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote the State’s arts, crafts and handloom sectors by bringing them on to the e-commerce platform and providing market access.

The partnership, under the Flipkart Samarth programme, will enable local artisans, weavers and craftsmen of Karnataka to showcase their hallmark products to a pan-India customer base. Both the State government and the Flipkart Group will focus on creating avenues to increase business and trade inclusion opportunities for these underserved segments of the society, thereby adding further thrust to the Make in India efforts.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Maheshwar Rao, Principal Secretary, Department of MSME and Mines, Government of Karnataka, said, “The collaboration with Flipkart will be instrumental in driving commercial and social development in the State. This partnership will help in taking the local handicraft and handloom businesses of Karnataka to a national consumer base. MSMEs in the State will also benefit from skills of branding, digital marketing, and financial management while showcasing the locally made high-quality products.”

Flipkart Samarth seeks to break entry barriers for artisans by extending time-bound incubation support, which includes benefits in the form of onboarding, free cataloguing, marketing, account management, business insights and warehousing support, said a Flipkart statement.

“The partnership will see renowned Karnataka-based brands — Cauvery - Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation and Priyadarshini Handlooms, part of Karnataka Handlooms Development Corporation — joining the FlipkartSamarth programme,” said the company.

“We are delighted to partner with the Government of Karnataka to give the State’s artisans the opportunity to showcase and sell their products on a transparent platform; with a promise of wider market access. These are challenging times, and as a homegrown platform, we believe it is our responsibility to boost local businesses and catalyse ecosystem partnerships to help transform them,” said Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group.

Over 500,000 artisans, weavers and micro enterprises across the country are currently part of Flipkart