Amid curbs on import of Chinese products, traders seek land to set up toy manufacturing unit

Kolkata: Following restrictions on import of Chinese products, traders have sought land from the state government for setting up a toy park.

"We have already written a letter to state Labour minister Moloy Ghatak urging to provide us subsidised land (20 -acre plot close to the 10 kilometer away from city limits) for setting up a domestic toy manufacturing unit, one-and-a-half-month ago," said Akshay Binjrajka, vice president of All India Toy and Baby Products Association and secretary of West Bengal EXIM Association.

He reiterated that the toy industry in India is facing major supply challenges due to restrictions in import from China after tensions between India and China over Line of Actual Control (LAC) dispute.

"There is Rs 15, 000 crore business in India. 80 per cent of toys (battery operated, soft toys and remote control toys) which are sold in India are imported from China and abroad," pointed out Binjrajka.

West Bengal has Rs 2,000 crore toy business. However, Kolkata alone accounts for Rs 750 crore business.

While the first toy park was set up on a six- storied Standard Design Factory (SDF) building having a super built-up area of 7,320 square metre in Salt Lake Sector III in 2004, it failed to attract business then and the government allowed light engineering companies to fill the space.