Khadi sales reach second highest levels in FY21 as pandemic spurs demand

The pandemic has led to a strong revival of interest in Khadi garments. Data from the MSME dashboard reveals, Khadi sales reached their second highest levels in FY21 with 2,790 institutions selling garments worth Rs 3,079.13 crore during the year. The number of artisans employed in the Khadi sector and institutes also reached their highest levels in five years with 4.97 lakh artisans and 2,790 institutions, reports Moneycontrol.

Comfort drives demand during pandemic

The industry’s apex organization, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) emerged a strong FMCG brand in both food and non-food categories. As per Ankur Bisen, Senior Vice President, Retail and Consumer Products, Technopak Advisors, the organization was able to clock in strong sales during the pandemic owing to its strong e-commerce presence on websites like Amazon, Flipkart, 1MG, BigBasket, etc. A reason for this is the comfort people associate with Khadi, adds Bisen.

Indians also prefer Khadi garments during summers due to their comfortable and breathable fabrics, opines Rajat Wahi, Partner, Deloitte India. The Indian government also promotes Khadi extensively through its Make in India campaign.

Going online with new schemes

In 2019, the Khadi sector ventured into the e- commerce with giants Flipkart and Amazon launching the Amazon Karigar and Flipkart Samarth schemes on their platforms. On January 1, 2021, Khadi and Village Industries Commission launched its e-commerce portal, eKhadiIndia.com, featuring 50,000 products ranging from home decor, apparels to food products. Through this initiative, the organization aims to promote small scale industries in rural areas to generate new employment opportunities.