Fair on Indian handicrafts and gifts held
The Union Minister of State for Textiles, Shri EVKS. Elangovan inaugurated the Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair (IHGF), Spring 2009, in Greater Noida on February 25, 2009. The four-day fair was organised by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts.
On the occasion, Shri Elangovan said, “We need to develop new, innovative items to compete in the international market, besides upgrading design and technology to boost handicraft exports.” He added that the Indian handicrafts are the worst affected in the world market and exports, which were rising every year, declined in 2008-09. He said that the Government had announced an economic stimulus for the handicrafts sector, so that the livelihood of millions of artisans can be maintained.
Shri Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, informed that the 27th fair, spread over an exhibition area of 97,000 sq m, featured products such as home furnishing, textiles, and handicrafts from 1,500 exhibitors. He added that the fair is expected to generate sizeable enquiries and business orders for the Indian Handicraft Sector.
He said that in the past, most of the buyers came from America and Europe. However, due to the economic slowdown in those regions, special efforts had been made to coax, enthuse, inspire, and invite buyers from Latin America, particularly those countries where the economies have been looking up, lifestyles have been changing fast, and demand for lifestyles product is on an increase. Buyers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, and Uruguay attended the fair.
IHGF generated new ideas for techniques and upgradation of existing technologies through a series of seminars, where experts in the fields of handicrafts, textiles, finance and trade could exchange their views on topics of interest to the exporting and buying community.
The fair is now recognised as the “One-stop most authentic sourcing event for all crafts from India” by the overseas buying community.
Source: PIB