At a time when most industrialists have expressed reservations about opening up new units in West Bengal (WB), entrepreneurs belonging to the toy industry are still optimistic of doing business in the region. The immense growth potential for the toy manufacturers in the eastern region, coupled with the consistent government attempts made over the last few years to give this sector a leg-up have been prompting several SME toy manufacturers to set up factories in WB.

The rising interest shown by investors as well as SME businesses to set up toys manufacturing units in WB has brought a ray of hope to the existing industry players in these troubled times.

Boost to toy industry

The high demand for toys, ample opportunities and the vacuum created due to the imposition of restrictions on the import of Chinese toys have made the toy business lucrative. It is all the more attractive for small players in WB since there is immense growth potential in the toy business.

Furthermore, the state government’s plans to open toy training and manufacturing centres in West Midnapore and establish toy-making units in other parts have also made WB an ideal destination for small-scale toy manufacturers to set up their factories here. The government has joined hands with Institute of Toy Making Technology (ITMT) and the Central government to set up a toy-manufacturing plant at Haldia.

"The development of toy training and manufacturing centres in WB will benefit the small-scale units to get trained workers and also help them get better infrastructural facilities," said R Choudhary, Proprietor of Kids World, a small-sized supplier of toys in Kolkata.

However, to encourage more toy-manufacturing SMEs to set up base at WB and attract more investors, the state government needs to initiate more proactive steps to provide land for the industry. Bureaucratic hassles and tax issues have to be resolved to give a fillip to the toy manufacturing units in the region.

"Simplification of regulations, easing of tax burden and making land available will help the existing Toys Manufacturers units to increase their production and also enable new players to set up factories in WB," said A Rashid, Spokesperson of Wonderland, a small-sized toy supplier in Kolkata.

Besides, extension of technological know-how, testing and certification facilities will also help the SME toy companies in WB to develop high-tech products, which can comply with the global safety standards and also compete with the best in the market.