A Jharcraft outlet in Ranchi. File picture

Ranchi, Sept. 26: Jharcraft, one of the most ambitious wings of the state industry department, is ready to blaze a desi trail on the global horizon.

The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Union ministry of commerce, has sanctioned its application for importer exporter code (IEC), the mandatory 10-digit key to tap markets across the country and abroad.

Dhirendra Kumar, the managing director of Jharcraft, told The Telegraph today that they had applied for IEC three months ago. “Four days ago, the Union ministry gave its nod. We were intimated through the regional office of DGFT in Patna,” he said.

At present, Jharcraft promotes tussar silk, kantha stitch saris, kurtis, shawls and dress material, jute bags, grassmats, terracotta artefacts and jewellery, lac bangles, dokra items and pyatkar, sohrai and jadupatiya paintings — all indigenous to the tribal heartland

Exporter code in kitty, what does Jharcraft plan now?

“We wish to apply for memberships of central agencies such as Handloom and Handicraft Export Corporation, Export Promotion Council for Handicraft and Silk Export Promotion Council,” Kumar said, adding that soon after becoming a member, Jharcraft would be able to get export-import orders in bulk.

Armed with IEC, this prestigious wing of the industry department also plans global online marketing through its portal www.buyjharcraft.com. “We were not able to do global online marketing earlier, but now with the IEC facility, we will create a niche for us internationally,” Kumar said.

A buoyed Jharcraft has already set a turnover target of Rs 200 crore in 2010-2011. In 2009-2010, the turnover was Rs 22 crore, in 2008-09 Rs 7 crore and in 2007-08 Rs 50 lakh.

Jharcraft was born in 2006 with the objective of creating new opportunities for rural artisans. In September 2007, it opened its first outlet in Ranchi. Currently, it boasts nine stores in Calcutta, New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Cochin. Three more emporiums are coming up at Hyderabad, Goa and Chennai. The Hyderabad store will be inaugurated next month.