Indian Fashion Jewellery and Accessories Show 2021 opens on a virtual platform
New Delhi – 27th July, 2021 – 14th edition of Indian Fashion Jewellery & Accessories show [IFJAS’21] was inaugurated today which showcased the rich legacy of traditional Indian workmanship blended into innovative designs of fashion jewellery & accessories. More than 150+ member exporters dealing in fashion, jewellery & accessories products are displaying on virtual platform and over 400+ overseas buyers and their representatives have registered for the show.
The inaugural opening ceremony was held virtually, U.P.Singh, Secretary (Textiles), Govt. of India, Shantmanu, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India, Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman – EPCH, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General – EPCH addressed the participants, visitors and invitees.
While Inaugurating the fair, Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman – EPCH said the physical fair could not be organised due to Covid thus enabling us to create a platform in the form of virtual fair in which exporters of fashion, jewellery and accessories are participating. The show is going to have informative webinars and craft demonstrations by the artisans as well.
Malhotra further said that despite facing the pandemic for last 16 months, the Indian handicrafts sector has been able to register a marginal growth and has reached 25679.98 Crores with 1.62% growth over previous year 2019-20, clearly indicating that there has been a strong business sentiment amongst the overseas buyers to source from India and 14th edition of IFJAS offers a wide variety of fashion jewellery, Fashion Accessories & Bags, Fashion Material, Women’s Garments & Apparels, Stoles, Scarves & Shawls etc. is on display. He further informed that IFJAS’2021 have special craft pavilions to promote the crafts of North Eastern, Western and Eastern Region states of the country. In addition to this, craft demonstration, informative webinars will also attract the attention of visiting overseas buyers and visitors.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General, EPCH speaking on the occasion said that IFJAS offers a unique opportunity to the exhibitors to display their capabilities and fully harness the business potential offered through this marketing platform. In this period, we have tried our best to provide matchmaking opportunities to the exporters and to the overseas buying community by leveraging the strength of online medium to the best of our ability and have successfully organised virtual fairs and buyer seller meets. He informed the buyers that the Council is very much in the process and positive for holding its next show physically.
Speaking on the occasion Shantmanu, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt of India welcomed all the overseas buyers registered to this 14th edition of IFJAS, Indian Fashion Jewellery and Accessories Show. He appreciated that wide gamut of jewellery products made by traditional artisans as well as by experts and manufacturers in large scale.
He conveyed compliments Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, India for organising IFJAS’2021 and appreciated for all promotional activities EPCH has been doing in this pandemic very well and all these years. He also congratulated all the partners in this endeavor, media partners and all other agencies who were involved and especially all the Indian Missions abroad for popularizing this event.
Speaking on the occasion, U.P. Singh, IAS, Secretary Textiles, Ministry of Textiles, Govt of India appreciated the efforts of the EPCH and mentioned that EPCH since its inception in 1986 has been playing a very important role as far as promotion of various kinds of handicrafts from India is concerned. In fact in the last financial year, in spite of pandemic, there was a slight growth in the export of handicrafts and 25600 crores worth of handicrafts was exported from India and one of the methods to promote handicrafts export from India has always been basically various kind of international and national fairs and exhibitions, Buyer Seller Meet etc. He said that he is confident that IFJAS will not only give an opportunity to craftspersons to showcase their beautiful products and give them opportunity to sell their products but also give an opportunity for the buyers from the all over the world to see Indian products and buy them. He invited all the global players to participate in large number in the fair.
The exports of handicrafts for April-March of the current financial year 2020-21 is at Rs. 25679.98 crores (US$ 3459.75million) registering a marginal growth of 1.62 % (Rupee terms) and (-) 2.93 % (dollar terms) over the same period last year. However, the exports of Fashion Jewellery and Accessories during 1st Quarter (April-June) 2021-22 (provisional) is at Rs. 695.87 crores (US$ 94.32million) informed Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General-EPCH.
