Counterfeit crisis: J&K government bans machine-made products from handicrafts showrooms

The J&K government is cracking down on Kashmiri handicraft dealers who are misrepresenting machine-made products as authentic, handmade items. Notices have been issued, threatening blacklisting for those who fail to remove the fake goods. This action follows complaints and the deregistration of a retailer for selling a machine-made carpet as a genuine, GI-certified Kashmiri handicraft, aiming to protect the region’s artisan legacy.