MP expects to seal deals worth Rs 2 cr in IITF 2011

Aiming at inquiries worth Rs 10 crore in the India International Trade Fair, going on in New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, the state is expecting to seal deals worth Rs 2 crore this year for its small scale units, particularly for handicrafts and handloom items.

Keeping in tune with this year’s theme of ‘Indian Handicrafts-the magic of hands’, the Madhya Pradesh pavilion is displaying some of its most admired and culturally rich handicrafts, created by skilled artisans of the state. Indian handicrafts is the theme of this year’s IITF in which Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and National Centre for Design and Product Development (NCDPD) have jointly made efforts to provide a platform for domestic and overseas craftsmen and artisans to directly interact with each other and show live demonstration of the processing of the crafts.

“A Denmark firm, Villa Collection, has inked a deal of Rs 70 lakh in handicraft items in the trade fair,” said a senior official of MP Laghu Udyog Nigam, an entity under state department of industries. “We are expecting to close the fair with estimated deals worth Rs 2 crore for our small entrepreneur mainly in handicrafts and handloom,” he said.

Madhya Pradesh has displayed its chanderi saris, metal work and other handicraft items at the fair. The official also said more inquiries have come from other Asian countries like Malaysia, Burma and Thailand. “We are expecting them to be converts, in all we are likely to receive inquiries worth Rs 10 crore this year as we are now ready to facilitate sharing of the techniques, designs, patterns, processing, finishing among craftsmen. The trade fair not only helps us compete but a healthy exchange of the techniques, designs and detailed discussion among the craftsmen too,” said the official.

On promotion to SMEs, state industries minister Kailash Vijayvergiya told Business Standard, “In view of the encouraging response from trade fairs like IITF, state government has plans to set up a separate department for SMEs that will cater to needs of this sector. We want to encourage women entrepreneurs too in this area.”