Craftsman decry lack of buyers

A craftsman has expressed concern over shortage of buyers for his products in Nkhotakota district.

Malawi24 caught up with one the crafts sellers who said there is low demand for the artworks in the district.

The man, Grant Shukari, said the business in the district is a losing game because it is not making profits any longer.

According to Shukari, he ventured into the art business in 1972 and the last time he made a lot of money from the business is in 2007.

“The business is really unpredictable because of lack of market. I use the little sum I get to support my family but with the current trend things are not working,” he told Malawi 24.

The 43-year-old Grant then asked government to support the industry since it also helps in the tourism sector.

“As you know that Nkhotakota is one of lakeshore districts and our crafts are needed by the tourists hence asking government’s support in terms of capital and market building.

“In our business we also lack money to be buying materials like trees and adhesives among others. If government can intervene by providing us with loans it can be good since this can be great to both tourism and our day to day living,” he said.

Shukari’s crafts shop is in Nkhandwe village, Nkhotakota district where there are notable tourist attraction sites such as Nkhotakota Pottery and beaches along Lake Malawi.