C Krishniah Chetty Group stops using Chinese-origin pearls

China has increased production of freshwater pearls and has been cultivating pearls surpassing Japan in quantity over the last decade. "The government should discourage Chinese imports and make efforts to strengthen the Indian industry," Krishniah Chetty Group Director Chaitanya V Cotha said.

Bengaluru-based C Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers on Monday said it has stopped using Chinese-origin pearls in their jewellery and also urged the government to discourage imports from the neighbouring country. The 150-year-old jewellery group's gemologists would stop procurement and use of Chinese-origin pearls, and instead use Japanese, Venezuelan or Indian pearls, according to a statement.

The decision also comes at a time when there is rising clamour for boycotting Chinese products after at least 20 Indian Army personnel died last week during a violent standoff between the two countries in Ladakh. "Although Chinese pearls are much cheaper and plentiful, the import duties must be increased to make it unprofitable and to discourage these imports. With the possibility of China being behind the global pandemic, we profess a total ban on use of Chinese gems by Indian jewellery industry," the jewellery group's MD and Director C Vinod Hayagriv said.

China has increased production of freshwater pearls and has been cultivating pearls surpassing Japan in quantity over the last decade. Origin disclosures have been taken seriously in the last decade by the company and it is important jewellers ensure origin tracking of the more expensive gems, both for environmental and political reasons, he said. China has increased production of freshwater pearls and has been cultivating pearls surpassing Japan in quantity over the last decade.

"The government should discourage Chinese imports and make efforts to strengthen the Indian industry," Krishniah Chetty Group Director Chaitanya V Cotha said. While India may lose some investments, or exports to China, in the bigger scheme of things it is important to support Indian manufacturers and their products or alternative international sources, he added.

According to Hayagriv, the group is adding more strength to its own production of jewellery and focusing on training more artisans. "Although, we have been using man cultured Chinese pearls which are not natural, these were always considered inferior to those cultured in Japan. Hence, we are happy not to use pearls of Chinese origin," Cotha said.