In an old mud and its three -storey workshop in a brick house in India, Akhtar Mir Paper, a 65 -year -old Kashmir, leads a team of artisans.
The workshop is heavy with the smell of paint. The activists sit on the floor cross-tested, their hands are stained and smooth because they decorate vases, elephants and decorative boxes with colored patterns of flowers and birds.
For three generations, the Mir family has caused this careful art and crossed the passion for it. Today, the workshop is only more than the legacy of the Mir family – it allows dozens of local artisans to support their families.
Every year, Mir and his team make special paper-minded pieces for the United States and Europe fixed for the Christmas order, but with the implementation of new tetfies on India with the Donald Trump administration, this holiday season may be different.
“We are worried about the new tariff. We have not yet ordered for Christmas,” he told DW.
“My workers want to affect the livelihood if we do not get orders.”
And Trump’s tariffs are not just anxious. Kashmiri artisans sell many of their products to tourists, but the Pahalgam attack in April has reduced the number of tourists this year.
‘This work does not make us happy anymore’
Even people weaving magnificent Kasmiri carpets are concerned about cutting rich buyers in America.
Abdul Majeed, a carpet weaver in Kunzer village in North Kashmir, says, “This work does not make us happy; it is stressful and uncertain.”
For many years, American demand for textiles, carpets and artisans goods has given air to Kasmi’s handicraft industry. But due to a dispute between Washington and New Delhi on Russian oil, the US imposed tariffs of up to 50% on a border of Indian products.
Foreign buyers were already paying premium prices for Kashmiri handicraft products, which were necessary to make goods due to the value of artistry and the price of skilled laborers. However, prices have risen rapidly under the new tariff regime and demanding a decline in demand, which has put the livelihood of thousands of artisans in danger.
Italy as a potential rival for artisan goods
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) stopped the US tafs as “frightening” for the handicrafts sector.
“We believe that the government is working on it and they can encourage exporters to bring some half -weeds for business,” said KCCI chief Javed Ahmed Tenga.
Instead of buying from Kashmir, American customers can turn to countries like Italy, where US TAFS is capted at 15%, a senior official of the Handicrafts Department and the Handloom Department in Kashmir told DW.
“This effectively ensures that Kashmir’s handicrafts will be excluded from the market. Many American customers have already caught their orders, making it difficult to keep taxes and artisans with work.
Some 400,000 are registered with the local government in the artisan area. A large disruption for their work will lead to loss of skills, according to the official, who requested oblivion.
The official said, “Once an artisan turns into another business, we not only loosen the current workforce, but also have the future ability to search high quality goods,” the official said.
Luxury goods out of access to American buyers
Prior to geopolitical quarrels between India and the US, the goods exported attracts import duties of about 8–12%, with American buyers pay about $ 1.2 billion for 60% of India’s handicraft exports.
Kashmiri handicraft exporter Mujaba Qadri agrees that Tram’s TATF is a serious shock for the artisan area of the region.
Qadri has warned that luxury goods are particularly unsafe for rising prices, as buyers do to postpone or abandon their shopping.
Kashmiri weaving and exporting company Me & K.
“Firm like me and K and Ki 80% IT exports to America will be greatly affected. For example, a shawl that was retail at $ 300, now $ 450, will jump a sufficient jump. As a result, as a result, most people are likely to their orders,” qadri.
Uncertainty
Experts have warned that new tariffs can cut half and 700,000 artisan jobs across India and cut in danger.
Shawl Weaver Afroza Jaan is already feeling pressure in Zonimar on the outskirts of Srinigar in Kashmir.
Afoza, 39, says, “This is a lot of piece and hard work, who spend the days of his work in his house.” He said, “My eyes are hurt, and my back hurts. But this is our only livelihood. Our dealer canceled some orders, saying that there is uncertainty in the market. “
Her husband and sister -in -law weave the luxury shawl, which takes up to months to make, and wholesale orders need to pitch ten or more people of her family.
“If we lose work, that it will affect our entire families,” he told DW.
Edited by: Darko Jenjeevic