January 6, 2019
Bangla’s own Tantuja brand on revival path
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s emphasis on the handloom sector has put the government’s handloom brand, Tantuja on a revival path.
Diversification in products and designs to keep pace with recent fashion trends has ensured profit for Tantuja. Importantly, the Puja season has been contributing more than 20 per cent of the total annual sales. Besides sarees, jackets and scarves too are available now.
There are 84 stores of Tantuja across the State. In 2016, it had tied up with a few big e-commerce portals to reach newer markets, including overseas.
During the 2016 Durga Puja season, through the stores, there had been a turnover of Rs 14.5 crore, in 2017, of Rs 18.5 crore and of Rs 25 crore in 2018.
The online sales too during the Puja season have been clocking impressive numbers. While it was Rs 10 crore during the 2017 season, it touched Rs 19 crore in 2019.
According to a senior official of the State Textiles Department, which runs Tantuja, in the 2017-18 fiscal, the brand had a turnover of Rs 205 crore and a profit of Rs 10.26 crore. In contrast, Tantuja had suffered a loss of Rs 12.69 crore in 2010-11 – the last financial year of the Left Front rule in the State.
In 2011-12, the very first financial year of the Trinamool Congress Government, Tantuja made a profit of Rs 69 lakh, according to the managing director of Tantuja.
The prices of products are commensurate with the design and people are getting their money’s worth.
The products are now purchased directly from self-help groups and weavers through camps in various parts of the State and payments are made directly to their bank accounts. This has eliminated the role of middlemen and the designers are getting their due. The showrooms across the state have also witnessed a major facelift.
Source: Millennium Post
