SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR, HON’BLE UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES Visits 4th Home Expo India

Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Honourable Union Minister of State for Textiles Government of India visited 4thHOME EXPO INDIA 2015 on 2nd day, interacted with various exhibitors and distributed the Ajay Shankar Memorial awards to participants in three product categories namely Houseware, decorative & accessories, Furnishing, flooring & Textiles and Furniture & Accessories for best designed stands.

Also present on the occasion were Mrs. Bimla Batham, MLA of Noida, Shri S.K. Panda, Secretary Têxtile, Shri S.K.Biswas, Development Commissioner ( Handicrafts), Shri Ajay Kumar Gupta, President, Home Expo India 2015, Shri Mohit Chopra and Shri Shujaat Hussain Qazi, Vice Presidents of the Fair, Shri LekhrajMaheshwari, Chairman – EPCH, Shri Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director – EPCH and other members of Committee of Administration

In his address the Minister praised the efforts of EPCH in providing a meaningful product specific platform to participants to interact with International buyers directly. Hon’ble Minister emphacised that this kind of exhibition centres should also be set up and promoted at various craft clusters so that artisans and craftspersons can directly be benefited from the visit of overseas buyers at their door step for sourcing their requirement. He said that MGNREGA should also be attached to the Handicrafts sector.

Home Expo India covers sectors like home décor, furnishing, furniture, flooring, and textiles.India’s export performance in these categories has been fairly impressive with an year on year growth of 47.56% in furniture and accessories, 27.45% in furnishing, flooring and textiles and 21.42% in houseware and decorative articles. Overall, handicraft export has been growing at an average annual growth rate of 15% during the last decade. However, growth during the current year was 18.05% in rupee terms and 16.81%% in dollars terms as compared to previous year. Exports of handicrafts during the year 2014-15 was Rs. 27,746.84 crore.

Awards for best display of stands – instituted and named in honour of late Shri Ajay Shankar, former Development Commissioner – were also conferred on exhibitors in various categories.

Gold, silver and bronze awards in “Houseware, Decorative and Accessories” were given to M/S Duggalsons, Moradabad, M/S Uma Glass Works Pvt. Ltd, Firozabad and M/s Quality Products of India, Moradabad respectively while winners of gold, silver and bronze awards in “Furnishing, Flooring and Textiles” were M/s Sava International Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon Zoha Floor Coverings, Bhadohi, and M/s Rockwater International, Noida. M/s Noble Art & Crafts House, Jodhpur M/s Pushpa Artefacts, Udaipur, and M/s J. C. Antiques & Crafts,Jaipur were recipients of gold, silver and bronze awards in “Furniture and Accessories” category.

A major highlight of Home Expo India 2015 is a special pavilion of products produced by artisans and craftsperson fromfour states of North East region i.e. Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim. Products from Assam comprise of Sitalpith, brass and bell metal work, pottery and fiber crafts, ivory and wood work, cane and bamboo, furniture, handloom, beside muga and mulberry silk while Meghalaya, known for its art and craft,displays cane and bamboo products, artistic textiles ornaments, musical instruments etc. Nagaland’s participation is characterized by its traditional products in basketry jewellery, shell, beads, bird wings and floorings while woollen carpets with traditional motifs and other handicrafts made of handmade paper and table called choktsetake centre stage in Sikkim section.

Another important aspect of the Home Expo India 2015 is the thematic exhibition of handicrafts products developed by artisans of SC category and artisans and craftpersons from mega clusters Lucknow, Bareilly and Bhuj. These artisans hail from the hitherto untapped clusters and the objective of this thematic exhibition is to explore International market for their products and provide them an opportunity to interact directly with the overseas buyers. Products like houseware, decorative items, gifts, christmas, candles, incense sticks, home textiles, furnishing, floor coverings, fashion jewellery, accessories and bags, cane and bamboo etc. being manufactured by artisans and craftpersons of SC categories will be on display in this exhibition.

Besides, a seminar on Home Style Trend Forecast 2016was heldon 17th April, 2015 at fair venue aimed at educating the participants about latest trends prevalent in International markets.

Traditionally USA, Canada, countries in European Union like France, Italy, UK, Netherlands etc. in addition to UAE, Japan and Switzerland have been the major markets for exports of Home Furnishing, Floorings, Home Textiles, Furniture & Accessories, Houseware and Decorative articles. Home Expo India exhibitors will be negotiating business with some of the most important companies from overseas including: M/s Pier 1 Imports, USA, M/s Wayfair LLC, USA,M/s Utter Most Co. USA, M/s Kalalou Inc, USA,M/s C&F Enterprises Inc, USA, M/s Petti Rossi Ltd, UK,M/s Furniture Link UK, M/s Roost Furnishings Ltd., UK,M/s Edelman BV, The Netherlands, M/s Edelman BV, The Netherlands, M/s Atlas GMBH, Germany, M/s Kaufmann Handelsegeselischaft, Germany, M/s Sweet Home Koblenz, Germany, M/s The Limit Ltd., New Zealand, M/s Atelier Design Furniture, Australia,M/s Al Diwan Center, Kuwait, M/s Lonlo, Japan, M/s Fukuda Corporation, Japan, M/s Trendsinter Sa DE CV, Mexico, M/s Sucomex International SA DE CV, Mexico, M/s Present Time, Hong Kong, M/s Home Box LLC, UAE are some of the prominent companies from which buyers have confirmed their visit to source their requirement.

Apart from above buyers, buying houses, import houses, chain stores, boutique owners and interior decorators from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Netherland, Norway, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, USA, UAE and UK have also confirmed their visit to source at this show.

Home Expo India 2015 is expected to generate business deals for direct import as also for tie- ups, collaborations, alliances and joint ventures for product development, product innovation and International sales.