The toy industry in Tamil Nadu is growing, and the government should consider coming up with a policy for this particular sector, said Santosh Kumar, president, The Tamilnadu Toy Dealers’ Association.
“Tamil Nadu is not conducive to the toy industry. They focus is on information technology, electronics and real estate but not toys. There is huge potential, and it is high time they realise that many children are playing with toys,” he told The Hindu at the sidelines of the ‘Toy Expo Chennai 2022’.
According to data provided by Mr. Santosh, the toy market in Tamil Nadu is worth around ₹600 crore to ₹700 crore and is growing year after year. Ajay Agarwal, president of the Toy Association of India, said if the State came out with a policy, more toy manufacturers would come here and invest. “There is demand for warehousing space too. Tamil Nadu also has ports, and we can export from here,” he added. Mr. Agarwal said at the national level, the domestic toy market had been growing very fast in the last few years.
Government policies such as increasing customs duties on imported toys and mandating BIS certification requirements for imports has not only boosted domestic manufacturing but also helped the industry to explore global markets and enhance exports, he said. Details provided by Mr. Agarwal showed that earlier exports were around ₹1,000 crore to ₹1,500 crore but now it is nearing the ₹3,000-crore mark.
There is great demand for Indian toys in markets like Africa and the Middle East. Board games, wooden toys and even plastic cricket bats are among the favourite products in the export market. The key regions for the toy market in India are Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi and other small pockets.
