The Human Hair Processors & Exporters Meet brought together government officials, industry representatives, and stakeholders to address the growing challenges facing West Bengal’s human hair processing and export sector, especially in East Midnapore and Murshidabad.

The meet was attended by Shri Ashok Dinda, Minister of State, MSME&T, Government of West Bengal; Dr. Pijush Kanti Das, MLA, Chandipur; Mr. Anil Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Customs (Kolkata Air Cargo); Mr. SK Mukul Ali, COA Member, PLEXCONCIL; and Mr. Manoj Samanta, Secretary, West Bengal Human Hair Association.

The discussions underscored the steep increase in raw human hair prices, the resulting squeeze on processors’ margins, and the urgency to boost domestic value addition. Industry representatives pointed out that India’s exports of human hair totaled around USD 943 million in FY 2025-26, with thousands of workers, especially women, still relying on the sector for their income.

Shri. Ashok Dinda, Minister of State, MSME&T, Government of West Bengal, said, “West Bengal’s human hair industry, worth thousands of crores, employs over 25 lakh workers, mostly women. The state government is now transitioning from exporting raw hair to producing higher-value goods locally by building modern processing facilities and industrial clusters. Through the MSME Department, entrepreneurs and grassroots workers will be provided with infrastructure, advanced machinery, and a secure business environment, which will boost local profitability and lead to improved earnings for artisans”.

The meeting also emphasized the need to regulate exports of raw hair, enhance monitoring to prevent illegal trafficking, and promote the domestic production of value-added items like wigs, hair extensions, and other processed hair products in India.

Participants urged the government to provide more support for enhancing skills, adopting modern technology, mechanization, and building dedicated processing infrastructure, along with suitable environmental management systems.

Stakeholders also stressed the need to safeguard women’s livelihoods while advancing ethical and sustainable practices throughout the sector. The meeting ended with a call for coordinated policy action to protect domestic processors, bolster MSMEs, and position West Bengal as a key center for value-added human hair products under the Make in India initiative.

Priyanka Dutta