Odisha: Coronavirus casts spell of doom on Sambalpuri weave

SAMBALPUR: The Sambalpuri handloom market has not been immune to the adverse effect of Covid-19. Sambalpuri Bastralaya Handloom Cooperative Society, which had reported a turnover of around Rs 20 crore between March and June last year, has managed just around Rs 10.41 crore during the same period this year.
Hemanta Kumar Mishra, the marketing officer of the handloom cooperative society, said there are around 40 outlets of Sambalpuri Bastralaya which had good business last year.“But this year, the outlets failed to make good business. The lockdown began on March 25 and the outlets were not allowed to open till May 3. When they were finally allowed to open, there were very few customers. And while the process to unlock the market has begun, the shutdown at many places has hurt business,” Mishra said.
He said Sambalpuri saree and other fabrics are sold during the marriage season, besides during family functions. “However, several marriages were cancelled and events deferred due to the pandemic, affecting the sale of Sambalpuri handloom products,” he added.
Mishra said the weavers of the cooperative societies are facing a tough time. “With the decrease in sales, we are not able to provide them with work order for sarees and other Sambalpuri handloom products. Earlier, the weavers, who are part of Sambalpuri Bastralaya Handloom Cooperative Society, were earning around Rs 16,000 per month. Now, with decrease in sales, they are barely making Rs 7,000/month,” said Mishra.
More than 6000 weavers are part of Sambalpuri Bastralaya while at least 90 such societies across the state are engaged in marketing of the products.
“Due the pandemic, the weavers across the state are going through a hard time. The markets across the country have either completely shut shop or are partially open, and as a result the sale of Sambalpuri saree, dress materials and bedsheet have been badly affected. Moreover, even the weekly Balijori market near the Bargarh district headquarter town, where thousands of weavers from across western Odisha gather to sell their products, has also been closed due Covid-19,” said Harisankar Meher, a weaver of Chichinda in Bargarh district.