GREATER NOIDA TENNEWS REPORTER LOKESH GOSWAMI –GREATER NOIDA – 20TH February, 2017 – THE 43rd edition of IHGF DELHI FAIR SPRING 2017 signs off today at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida contributing significantly both to the 3064 exhibitors and buyers across the globe. Shri Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director – EPCH said that buyers from 91 countries visited this year. The exhibitors showcased their products in 14 product segments showing the strength of handicrafts in home, lifestyle, fashion, gifts and furniture with 2000 product lines.Overseas buyers’ and their Representatives participation increased from 4700 last year to 4900 this year. The Fair generated business enquiries worth Rs 1700 crores this year.Shri D. Kumar, Chairman – EPCH said that the maximum buyers came from USA [625], UK[376], FRANCE[277], GERMANY [211], ITALY[192], AUSTRALIA[175], JAPAN[149], NETHERLAND[147], SPAIN[135] AND CHINA [105]. Main focus of buyers was on product categories such as furniture and accessories, furnishing and home textiles, houseware and decorative and gifts.Besides overseas buyers large number of domestic retail volume buyers and e-commerce companies such as Good Earth, Furniture Republic, Fab India, West Side, Archies Ltd, DLF brands ltd, @home, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyles group, Urban Ladder.com, Pepperfry.com, Ajio.com, FabFurnish.com, Shopcleus.com have also visited the show and source their requirement from the exhibitors who agreed to do retail volume sale.According to Mr.Rakesh Kumar – ED – EPCH this edition of the IHGF Delhi Fair also gave a special thrust to promotion of crafts from the North Eastern region of India and Jodhpur mega cluster to provide the marketing linkages to the artisans, craftpersons and upcoming entrepreneurs of both the regions . More than 26 entrepreneurs from North East and 10 from Jodhpur mega cluster participated this year with new and innovative designs. From North East products like cane and bamboo based basketry, lamp shades, gift items, decoratives and utility products as well as furniture; cushion covers and stoles; water hyacinth products, and silk based traditional artistic textiles; products made of kauna grass; jute based bags and accessories; hand loomed artistic textiles; and handicrafts using other local materials were the main attraction for the visiting buyers. Entrepreneurs from Jodhpur mega cluster displayed leather, home furnishing, wooden, iron, horn and bone products during the show.To bring out more marketable product variation with existing skills, EPCH also took an initiative to implement the Integrated design and Technical Development Project of O/o DC Handicrafts by engaging designers from leading design institutes from India for imparting training to artisans. Total 40 artisans mostly women from Jodphur, Bhabaneswar and Narsapur trained by these designers were brought to showcase their existing skills with newer ideas at IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring 2017 and buyers found these products attractive and innovative and seen busy in searching products of their choice. To impart the insight information on different subjects, EPCH organised seminars and the exhibitors participated in large number and found these seminars very handy and informative. The subject included were Trends and forecasts for Autumn Winter 2017-18, Goods and Service Tax – way forward, creating export start ups in handicrafts sector, implication of Union Budget 2017-18 and your solution to provide legality of wood.EPCH initiative of VRIKSH for Timber Legality & Assessment Verification Scheme was also well received during the show. The thematic display showcased the wooden handicrafts items and also disseminated information about India’s readiness wooden handicrafts certificate.In its initiative to encourage entrepreneurship in Handicrafts sector, a MOU was also signed in between EPCH and IIFT for setting up Incubation centres at craft cluster. A pilot incubation centre has already been initiated at Moradabad Resource Centre at Moradabad. EPCH and IIFT aims to create 5,000 entrepreneurs in next five years elaborated Shri Rakesh Kumar.The exports of handicrafts during the latest period April- January 2016-17 have registered a growth of 13.06% in Rupee terms and stands at Rs. 20282.18 crores. However, the growth in dollar terms is 9.43% with exports of US $ 3018.58 million. The export target of US$ 3600 million (Rs. 23560.00 crores) is set for the year 2016-17 and going by the current trend we hope to achieve the target.EPCH is a nodal agency for promotion and development of handicrafts exports from the country and create brand image of Indian handcrafted products world over. EPCH has more than 11,000 membership base from all over the Country
