Saharanpur district is the north most district of Uttar Pradesh, bordering the state of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand .Saharanpur district, formed at the most northerly position of the Doab land, stretches between the holy rivers of the Ganges and the Yamuna.

The Shivalik hills rise above it on the northern frontier. Saharanpur is a city with administrative headquarters of Saharanpur Division and works as Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The distance from Delhi to Saharanpur is 166Kms. while from Lucknow it is 471 Km. Saharanpur District has 5 Tehsils, namely Behat, Saharanpur, Nakud, Rampur Maniharan & Deo Band. Further, the district is divided into 11 Blocks: Sadauli qadeem, Muzaffarabad, Puwarika, Ballia Kheri, Deoband, Sarsawan, Nagal, Nanuta, Nakud, Gangoh & Rampur Maniharan. Saharanpur is famous for its wood carving cottage industry and a vital source of employment and foreign exchange earnings.

Saharanpur district is located between 29° 34’45” to 30° 21’30” North latitude and 77° 9’ and 78° 14’ 45” East longitude. The northern and the north-eastern part of the district is surrounded by Shivalik hills and separates it from the Dehradun district Uttarakhand state. The river Yamuna forms its boundary in the west which separates it from Karnal and Yamunanagar districts of Haryana. Saharanpur District have 05 Tehsils and 11 blocks for administrative convenience. It hosts 02 Parliamentary Constituencies and 07 Assembly constituencies.

The district is in a rectangular shape. Its total area is 3689 square kilometers. The District covers a forest Cover of 332229 Ha or 9.13% land area of Saharanpur covers as forest area. In area under Shivalik reserve forest Sheesham, Sal etc. are found. Poplar & Eucalyptus are also grown by farmers. Roughly 70% of the land is under agricultural use, the important food crops of the region are Wheat, Rice, Maize, Jawar, Bajara, sugarcane; oilseeds, cotton and jute are the main commercial crops. The region is very poor in mineral resources. Limestone stone boulders are the only main minerals.

Saharanpur is primarily an agricultural district with 70% of land under agricultural use. The important food crops of the region are Wheat, Rice, Maize, Jawar, Bajara, sugarcane; oilseeds, cotton and jute are the main commercial crops. Saharanpur is famous for its cottage industries, out of which the traditional wood carving industry has flourished and gained reputation all over the world. Other than wood, wooden based furniture and woodcarving, industries like Iron bells manufacturing, Hosiery/ readymade garments & embroidery and paper & paper products are other major sources of livelihood in the district. Saharanpur ranks second in textile & hosiery production within Uttar Pradesh, after Kanpur.

Wood & wooden based furniture industries sector of MSME with 6056 units (registered around 4200) and around 90,000 artisans (registered around 10,000) in the district is the prominent economy contributing sector. The “Repair and Servicing Sector” have 6085 no. of units however, this is unorganized sector with multiple small and micro servicing units with only deploying 21554 people and resources in the cluster. Out of total population of 3,466,382 (census-2011), 1,037,344 are working population. Out of total working population, 48% are cultivators and agricultural labourers and the household industry and other industry workers are 52%. This indicates that other industry and household-based industry are the main source of income in the district.

The total export from Saharanpur is approximately INR 2,788.6 Crores for the period September 2020 to November 2021. Saharanpur’s total export value (INR 2788.6 Crores) as mentioned in Table-3, includes exports from rice, jaggery and other products as well. The following analysis focuses on primary products as per Table 3.

Saharanpur rejoices 400 years of history of Woodcraft industry with multiple levels of growth of woodcarving and various techniques and skills of woodwork developed with time and changing forms of the craft. Mohd. Atta Hussain opened first unit of woodcraft in Saharanpur in 1857, since then the woodcraft has continuously evolved with time in the district. Uttar Pradesh is a state of India in which various types of crafts have been found in a cluster. “Saharanpur Woodcraft” was selected as a key product under One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme of Govt. of Uttar Pradesh.

Saharanpur rejoices 400 years of history of Woodcraft industry with multiple levels of growth of woodcarving and various techniques and skills of woodwork developed with time and changing forms of the craft. Mohd. Atta Hussain opened first unit of woodcraft in Saharanpur in 1857, since then the woodcraft has continuously evolved with time in the district. Uttar Pradesh is a state of India in which various types of crafts have been found in a cluster. “Saharanpur Woodcraft” was selected as a key product under One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme of Govt. of Uttar Pradesh.
Saharanpur is well known for its magnificent carving craft. Main items are made of rosewood, teak, and acacia. The woodcarvers create magic on the articles they prepare. The talent of wood carving is passed from generations to generations. Furniture is designed in a skilled manner having mehrab, jail and grapevine motifs. Carvers carve their imaginations on these articles and sometimes the carving is beautified with the stone inlay on ebony wood. The colour combinations used are attractive and present each item in a very pleasant manner. With its development into a major hub for woodwork and wood carvers from other centres migrated here, as a result, Saharanpur district’s woodcraft cluster employing approx. 90,000 - 100,000 artisans, can boast of a wide and highly skilled repertoire of woodwork. It is, today, the biggest wood carving location in India.

Saharanpur is a big production and commercial centre engaging large base of artisans and workers. The main raw material is wood which is sourced locally from UPFDC/ timber merchant/s. Other raw materials used for polishing and adorning the products during carving phase are also locally sourced by dealers. 80% of artisans are involved in chiselling, carving, jaali-making and metal inlay and creating intricate designs as per customers’ demand in bulk; other than skilled artisans, unskilled/semi-skilled artisans or workers are mostly involved in activities like wood treatment, seasoning, sanding, polishing, assembly, finishing and packaging of the product.

Saharanpur Woodcraft cluster has shown its remarkable skills in three types of wood crafting techniques i.e., Woodcarving, Metal inlay and ‘Jali-work’. Wood-carving work A unique engraving creativity of ‘Nakkashi work’ appears with floral and figures etched out by the craftsmen. Lacquer work is obviously one of the major handicrafts of the region. The craftsmen of Saharanpur are excelled in the art of wood carving work. It is now widely used on the furniture, partisan boxes, ashtrays, Jewellery Boxes, service tray and other articles. Inlay work Inlay is an ornamentation done by embedding pieces of different material in a surface. The materials generally used are metal, (ivory in ancient period) bone or various types of wood like sandal rose etc. Wooden articles like bowls, trays and various decorative items are inlayed with brass or silver wire known as ‘Tarkashi’. This technique was originally done on wooden foot wears ‘Kadaun’ but it is now widely used to decorate the center-table, ashtrays, fruit-basket, service tray and other furniture articles etc. Jali work The term jaali work is a delicate hand carving technique of creating a designer net or mesh work on wood to enhance the beauty and the character of the wood. Jaali work is a depiction of highly skilled and precise craftmanship on wood.

The following are the key products manufactured in the cluster:;

The Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) has accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) registration to the Wood Carving and it was registered under the brand of ‘Saharanpur Wood Craft’ in 2014 in lieu of application by Wood Craft Design and Development Society. ;

The cluster comprises of support institutions that can be broadly classified into three categories – trade and industry association, educational and training institutions, and other institutions. The trade and industry associations assist industries in the cluster in getting clearances and approvals, solving issues regarding industrial infrastructure, providing information on latest government schemes etc. Educational and training institute provide training to labours and assist in addressing availability of skilled labour. Other institutions comprise banks and logistics service providers.;
Following are principal Industry Associations that are working for the development of wood craft in Saharanpur:
► Uttar Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (UPFDC)
► Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), Saharanpur
► National Centre for Photos & Picture Framing Technology
► Development Commissioner (DC), Handicrafts
► Indian Industries Association (IIA) – Saharanpur Chapter
► Handicrafts Artisans & Exporters Association
► Wood Craft Design & Development Society, Saharanpur
► Forest Research Institute (FRI) – Dehradun
► Saharanpur Handicraft Development Centre (SPV, ODOP CFC Scheme)

The following table lists the HS codes under which the products are exported from the district:;

The export scenario of India and Uttar Pradesh have been analysed basis the export statistics of HS codes mentioned above under which Saharanpur’s Woodcraft products are exported. Alongside are the key facts pertaining to the analysed product codes. Based on our analysis, we have also identified key markets that should be targeted in short term and in long term to expand our current reach and potential. The immediate synergies include countries with high growth potential and signed FTAs catered by India. Whereas the long-term synergies include countries with untapped market potential which can only be fulfilled if UP’s exporters comply and raise the quality of the product to the highest standards, freight rates are more subsidized and major efforts is required in marketing which will require time to accommodate the same. Saharanpur district’s woodcraft cluster, today, the biggest wood carving location in India. 200 enterprises of Saharanpur engaged in exports. 35 units are purely exporting. ;

In this section, we will discuss the year-wise growth in exports from woodcraft cluster of India and contribution and potential of Saharanpur woodcraft cluster of Uttar Pradesh in export scenario.
► In FY 2021, the total exports of woodware from India was INR 6476 Cr.
► The year-wise growth in wooden handicraft export in value terms is 3-4% in FY 2019-20, 27% in FY 2018-19 & 8% in 2017-18.
► During 2018-19 the export value of woodcraft was INR 5311 crores compared to the previous years’ exports of INR 4267.37 crores during 2017-18 and INR 3916.01 crores during 2016-17.
► The export value of India’s Wooden handicrafts had steadily increased from year 2016-20, the biggest buyer was USA with INR 1958.0 crores of import value in 2018-19 followed by other big buyers like Germany, UK, France and Netherlands, Australia, Canada, and UAE.
► In 2019-20, the exports of woodcraft products from Uttar Pradesh was INR 1890.85 crores. Saharanpur district (UP) contributes majorly to export of woodcraft from Uttar Pradesh. The total export of Woodcraft cluster of Saharanpur was 776.3 crores in 2019-20. The rising appreciation for wooden handicrafts by consumers in developed countries, widespread novelty seeking, cheap and skilled labour and large supply of timber species has made the Indian wood industry one of the most important suppliers of handicrafts to the world market. This industry of Saharanpur provides employment to over 90,000 – 1,00,000 artisans and supports and provides major opportunity of employment to rural sections. In addition to the high potential for
employment, the sector is economically important from the point of low capital investment, high ratio of value addition, and high potential for export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. Few factors that add to export potential of the cluster are: The Opportunities for Saharanpur wooden handicrafts that show potential destination for exports:
► Rising demand for handicraft products in developed countries such as USA, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy etc.
► Increased demand for home décor /fashion industries requires wooden handicrafts products.
► Development of sectors like Retail, Real Estate that offers great requirements of wooden handicrafts products
► Development of domestic and international tourism sector. USA, Spain, China, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, and Italy.
► e-Commerce and Internet are emerged as promissory distribution channels to market and sell the handicraft products. Hence, it was pointed out that the proper study of the foreign market, region specific demand patterns to be ascertained. Along with that, a common platform to be created where there can be an integration between the exporters and importers, thereby making the export ecosystem robust and effective.

Product Diversification is one of the most crucial product uplifting strategies which in turn is an important part of a product’s export. This plays a vital role in any products exports as it is a product uplifting strategy. The ever-changing customer preferences and choices have contributed to product diversification among MSMEs. Due to ever rising demand of wood craft products in domestic and international markets, all the cluster actors are too busy finishing their order list; not many efforts are done in creating new designs and introducing more choices in the market. Diversification can be brought in Saharanpur Woodcraft cluster by:
1. Development of a new products: Product diversification will provide a tremendous boost to brand image, cluster production and profitability. The artisans of the district should be encouraged to diversify the product categories and must be provided with enough resources to create innovative products without losing the ancestral essence of the craft. 2. Modification of Existing Products: The cluster has tremendous export potential, but owing to lack of proper market assessment mechanism, changing design patterns, specific demand preferences. Saharanpur’s traditional wood carving need not only protection but also a restructuring of products where it is used and mix it, reinvent and reshape it with added utility for the new customers. Few of artisans have already started fusing wood with glass and other materials for better outreach in international market. Diversified household decorative items and kitchen utensils are high in demand. The rest of the cluster can benefit from improving their products by modifying style, design, or use of the products. As such fusions are dynamic and address ever changing customer demands, MSMEs are required to be more alert and diversify products and yet not loose heritage value of the craft. 3. Training for Innovative Designs and Improvement in quality: Development Commissioner Handicraft (DCH), Saharanpur and National Centre for Design and Product Development (NCDPD) can guide cluster with innovative design trainings. Training with Forest Research Institute (FRI) can bring more awareness about latest seed and plantation techniques, modern technology, and solutions to improve wood’s elasticity, and advanced machinery for faster cutting and jointing methods. This will enhance product’s quality, lifespan, and style. 4. Protecting the living tradition: Saharanpur’s traditional wood carving need not only protection but also a restructuring of products where it is used and mix it, reinvent it, and reshape it with added utility for the new customers. A few ideas can help reenergise the market for traditional craft:
► Increase interaction with the consumers through various online/offline platforms to understand their taste
► Reinvent new designs with a touch of old traditional designs
► Understand modern market and its promotional strategies
► Initiate collaborations between artisans and designers
► It is necessary to also stimulate and generate the best possible conditions for skilled craftsmen as well as new craftsmen. Skill and design workshops, Exhibition opportunities and scholarship awards for best designs etc. would motivate the artisans for improving their craft.

The hosiery cluster of Saharanpur is around 125 years old and spread across 15 kms radius in the district. The cluster is spread over Hiran Maran, Mishran Street, Dakotan, Chhipiyan, Purani Chungi, Radha Vihar, Shahmdar, Jafar Nawaj, Janta Road, Hareti, Kalapar, Hussain basti, khata khedi etc.

The hosiery cluster of Saharanpur is around 125 years old and spread across 15 kms radius in the district. The cluster is spread over Hiran Maran, Mishran Street, Dakotan, Chhipiyan, Purani Chungi, Radha Vihar, Shahmdar, Jafar Nawaj, Janta Road, Hareti, Kalapar, Hussain basti, khata khedi etc.
There are about 1000 Micro & Small Units engaged in Hosiery & textile Industry with a turnover of INR 100 crores. This cluster bags second rank in the state after Kanpur district. There are 10 units of composite nature which produce yarn, dyeing and making fabric for hosiery items. The items are mainly undergarments, Cot’s wool, Slex and Track suites etc. An estimate says that 4.5 lakh MT or 150 Ton of cloth is being used for hosiery manufacturing. Around 25,000 people are engaged in this Industry. Although the cluster has tremendous potential, the stakeholders only exports indirectly through Delhi and Ludhiana markets. The cluster has few of medium and large enterprises, which had good growth in the beginning, but slowly limited to only a few areas in the cluster. 90% of the units are either micro or small, producing hosiery products with indigenous tools and implements and, therefore, lack quality and productivity.

Most of the units from hosiery cluster manufactures products like vest, underwear, T-Shirts, Bra, Looser, Panties, gloves, Lower, Warmer, Track suit etc. Due to lack of innovation with products’ designs, the cluster products have not reached to various sections of customer. With new designs and styles, the demand for upgraded skills of trade grows, the existing skilled workers are mostly stuck to the old designs and there is lack of confidence to create newer designs.
Recently, few manufacturers started experiments with their designs, and have created few new patterns in track suits and other such products of hosiery, resulted into success. Some of the items made have a tremendous potential to successfully explore national/international market like cheap Cotton Hosiery. Prospective exporters in the cluster should always check the exact requirement for the destination market, who would specify the most suitable dimensions for their target customer group. Saharanpur’s hosiery industry is labour intensive, despite having a long tradition in hosiery working and hosiery manufacturing it remained backward. Their characteristics depend on the fibres used in their manufacturing. They are made from many different fabrics and yarns.

The following are the key products manufactured in the cluster; they are divided into the following types: ;
Raw material source from Punjab, Tamilnadu, Delhi. In addition to the above, Saharanpur is a biggest hub for manufacturing of breeches and vests which are the prominent product for export.

Following are main Industry Associations that are working for the development of Hosiery products sector:
► Indian Industries Association (IIA)
► Saharanpur Hosiery Manufacturer Association
► Chamber of Industry and Services
► Saharanpur Tex Zone - Supports Textile Industry by technical knowledge sharing ;

HS codes under which the product is exported from the district.
► Men’s knitted cotton undergarments – HSN code 6107, 6115
► Women’s knitted cotton undergarments – HSN code 6108, 6106, 6115
► Thermal wear for men (knitted man-made fibre) – HSN code 6107
► Men’s and boys’ tracksuits and woven garments - HSN code 6211
► Women’s and girls’ tracksuits and woven garments HSN code 6211
► Knit fabrics of cotton – 6115
► Women's or girls' blouses, shirts and shirt-blouses (excluding knitted or crocheted and vests) - 6206 ;

Current Scenario In Saharanpur district, around 1000 units employs more than 25000 artisans in hosiery industry. The export scenario of World and India have been analysed basis the export statistics of HS code 610711 Alongside are the key facts pertaining to the analysed product code. ;

Major highlights of India Export
► The State is the third largest producer of fabric and produced which around 13.24% of India’s total fabric.
► The State is famous for carpets and manufactures approximately 90% of India’s carpets. Carpets, readymade garments and handlooms are major products exported from the State with a share of 5.25%, 12.89% and 0.50% respectively in total exports from the State .
► As per data released by Government of UP during Investors Summit 2018, Rs 417.24 crores of handlooms, Rs 4,648.89 crores carpets & mats and Rs 10,886.70 crores of readymade garments were exported from the State in the year 2016-17.
► Total Global import of Hosiery product in FY 2020-21 was of 12.31 billion USD.
► Prominent export destination countries for Hosiery products were USA, Germany, Japan, UK & France.
► Major exporting countries of hosiery products were China, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and Pakistan.
► Total Export of hosiery products from India in FY 2020-21 was 1144.54 Crore and the total share of world’s export was less than 02%.
► Top exporting destination from India for hosiery products are USA, UAE, Spain UK, France, Germany etc.
► Total export from UP of hosiery product was 80.01 cr. in FY 2020-21 which is 7% of India’s export. Countries to whom UP exports this product in HSN code 610711 are UAE, UK, Canada, Nepal, Jordan, Yemen, Malaysia, USA< Saudi Arabia. Major ports from where exports take place: - Nhava Sheva Sea, CGML Dadri, Delhi (ICD), Nepalganj, Bambasa, Champavat, Uttrakhand, Nautanwa (Sonauli), Delhi Air, CFS Patparganj, Raxaul Land, Barhni.

Product Diversification: This plays a vital role in any products exports as it is a product uplifting strategy. Most of the SMEs aren’t bothered about changing their product range and they fail to understand that it is an integral part of comprehensive marketing. Diversification can be brought in the cluster by:

► Development of new products: The SMEs of the district should be encouraged to diversify the product categories and adequate resources should be provided to make outerwear in hosiery segment as most of the units are manufacturing only innerwear as of now.
► Modifications of Existing Products: It has also been found that most of the SMEs use traditional designs or those which was old by the time it arrived at Saharanpur, they need to work according to the latest designs. Unit holder should be encouraged to manufacture printed hosiery fabric and products out of them.