Karnataka tops direct selling market in south with sales of Rs 1,128 crore: IDSA

Bengaluru: Karnataka, with sales of Rs 1,128 crore, has topped the direct selling market in the southern region, according to the annual survey report by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA).

Providing self-employment to 78,000 entrepreneurs in Karnataka, including 34,000 women, the direct selling business in the State posted a sales increase of Rs 94 crore in 2021-22, a 9.09 per cent growth over the previous year's figure of Rs 1,034 crore, the self-regulatory body for the direct selling industry in India said.

The State had a share of 5.9 per cent of the overall national sales, which stood at over Rs 19,030 crore during the period, the survey noted.

During 2021-22, the State also contributed nearly Rs 170 crore to the exchequer by way of taxes, it was stated. IDSA Chairman Rajat Banerji told reporters here on Tuesday the growth of over nine per cent reflects that the direct selling industry could withstand the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, which extended to the first quarter of the year (2021-22).

"Direct selling has provided sustainable self-employment and micro-entrepreneurship opportunities for nearly 84 lakh Indians and has demonstrated consistent and sustained growth with a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of approximately 13 per cent over the period of the last four financial years," Banerji said.