Piyush Goyal asks toy makers to target 10x exports, assures quality norms will stay
New Delhi, July 4
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Saturday asked domestic toy manufacturers to capitalise on expanding global market access and target a 10-fold increase in exports over the next four years, while assuring the industry that the government will not dilute mandatory quality standards.
Addressing the 17th edition of Toy Biz International B2B Expo here, the minister said the Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for toys would continue as they have helped improve product quality, curb sub-standard imports and strengthen the domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
"I can assure you that until I am there, no one will remove QCOs. QCO will be there. We will also protect you from unfair dumping from any nation," the minister said.
Goyal also clarified that the transition mechanism was introduced only to facilitate investments and scale up manufacturing for a limited period and did not, in any way, weaken the existing quality regime.
In addition, the minister said India's toy industry has made significant progress over the last few years but still accounts for barely 0.2-0.3 per cent of the estimated $120-billion global toy market.
Noting that toy exports have surged 239 per cent in the last four years, he said the industry should now aim to increase overseas shipments by 10 times over the next four years.
Goyal also urged manufacturers to make full use of India's growing network of free trade agreements (FTAs), saying nine such pacts signed over the last three-and-a-half years have opened doors to 38 countries.
He asked the industry to actively engage with retailers, supermarkets, e-commerce companies and local businesses in FTA partner countries to establish a stronger global presence for Indian toy brands.
On the trade front, the minister said the proposed India-New Zealand free trade agreement is expected to become operational this year.
He added that negotiations are also progressing with Canada, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Mexico and Brazil to expand India's export opportunities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a parent in Bangalore, I'm relieved to hear QCOs won't be diluted. My kids play with Indian-made toys now - much safer than the cheap Chinese imports we used to buy. But 10x exports in 4 years seems ambitious. Hope the government provides proper infrastructure and marketing support for small manufacturers. Quality first, quantity second! 👶🧸
Good move, but let's not forget the ground reality. I work with toy exporters in Noida. Many still struggle with compliance costs for QCOs - testing labs are expensive and not available everywhere. The 239% growth is impressive, but it's from a very small base. We need more cluster development and common testing facilities. Also, why not focus on traditional Indian toys like wooden Channapatna toys? They have unique cultural value. 🇮🇳
I appreciate the vision, but 10x exports in 4 years seems like typical political hyperbole. First, let's see if the FTA with New Zealand really helps. Indian toys face stiff competition from Vietnam and China in price. QCOs are good but they also make our products more expensive. Hope the minister also works on reducing raw material costs and improving logistics. Then we can talk about 10x growth. 🎯
Finally someone talking about quality standards! As a mother of two, I used to worry about lead in imported toys. Now I buy only Indian brands - they are more expensive but my mind is at peace. The 0.2-0.3% global market share is pathetic for a country of India's size. We need to aggressively market our toys abroad - our culture has so many unique playthings like gilli-danda and chess sets. Kudos to the minister for standing firm on QCOs! 🌟
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