Indigenous products from north east attract visitors to IITF 2015

Going with a theme of 'Make in India', the 35th edition of the India International Trade Fair 2015 held here, the country's north eastern states showcased their manufacturing capability at the fair to attract global investment.

The north eastern states showcased the best of their potential, including a huge variety of handlooms such as shawls, bags, colourful ties, traditional caps, and handmade jewellery.

This year indigenously made dry chillies also made it to the IITF shelves.

But, it was the dry flowers that attracted huge crowds.

M. Longkumer, Director of the Nagaland Pavilion, told ANI, "With the 'Make In India' theme we have brought a lot of indigenous artisans who will showcase their products mainly from handloom, handicraft, dry flowers and small handmade jewelleries. We have put up 20 stalls this year and as compared to last year we are expected a good footfall and most of the stalls are doing well."

The Manipur pavilion offers traditional wares and also has lot of handloom products like kurtas, dupattas, stole and jackets. People thronged in large numbers to the stall offering wooden baskets.

At the Meghalaya Pavilion, there was a huge variety of traditional items and the flutes made of bamboo attracted a lot of customers. There were also many indigenously built products on display such as traditional sarees, the Kwai or traditional pan) and bamboo products which aroused the interest of customers.

H K Mishra, an exhibitor at the Meghalaya Pavilion, said, "We are participating for the last 20 years. We bring dry and artificial flowers, basket and different type of items. This is called Kwai- pan and supari. People like it very much in Delhi also. We have also cinnamon, black pepper. These are organic items and we are bringing it every year and people are happy and within a week we will finish everything."

P B Seldarkar, a customer visiting the Meghalaya Pavilion, said, "I have come here to see the trade fair and it is good to see different crafts from difference states. Nice craftworks and bamboo products are not available in other pavilions."

The Assam Pavilion also has Eri and Muga silk products, bamboo spoons and knives, traditional sarees, shawls and bags. Products made of cane like sofa, chairs, glass-holders and pen stands attract most of the visitors.

Bipul Das, Director of the Assam Pavilion, "The theme is "Make in India", but in Assam this started a long back because we are founder of tea and petroleum. However with the Make in India theme we have tried to promote our indigenous products which were from pottery section to the newly conceived ideas and the other things which have come up in the state of Assam."

IFT is a good platform not only for individuals but also for states to showcase their capacity to attract investment.