Overseas buyers flock to IHGF Delhi Fair on Day 2 to source Indian handicraft products

Greater Noida – 29th October 2021 – The theme pavilions and collective displays of North Eastern Handicrafts, Rajasthan, J&K and Southern Region are among major attractions for the visiting overseas buying community at this edition of IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn’2021, where the buyers showed up in large numbers on the second day of the exhibition, informed Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General, EPCH.

Many artisans have benefited from opportunities to fine-tune their craft products and transition into entrepreneurs and exporters thereafter. This way the industry and buyers too have gained from new assortments and innovations involving resources & skills from grassroots artisans from far flung craft pockets and villages in India, visitors to this fair have shared that regional Indian crafts with indigenous skills have a lot of potential to grow in world markets, informed Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General, EPCH.

Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General, EPCH further informed that Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Minister of Industries, Govt. Of Bihar visited the fair and congratulated EPCH on their return with IHGF – Delhi Fair Autumn 2021 in physical mode. He met the exhibitors and appreciated their wide range of products on display.

Gracing the occasion with his presence, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Minister of Industries, Govt of Bihar expressed his gratitude to EPCH for being the building block to the growth of handicrafts export in India and also congratulated them for organizing the IHGF – Delhi Fair Autumn 2021 keeping in mind the Covid-related guidelines in their bid to begin life in the new normal. Minister opined that this fair will help to recognize the beauty of the Bihar handicrafts at National and International level.

Dr Kumar further informed that the Minister also visited the thematic display by Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan (UMSAS) at the fair and appreciated the live craft demonstration.

“Buyers in good numbers visited the fair during the first two days and shared their interest in placing orders with their regular and new exhibitors at the fair. Many have got their suppliers through earlier edition of the fair. While international travel is yet to open up completely, buyers who have travelled all the way to India are serious about their sourcing. Those who couldn’t visit have their agents and India representatives meet the exhibitors on their behalf,” said Raj K Malhotra, Chairman, EPCH.

Mr. R.K. Verma, Executive Director-EPCH added that With the objective to promote Handicrafts of Bihar, Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan (UMSAS) participated first time in International Fair like IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn’2021. EPCH has supported UMSAS for new product development for participation in IHGF Delhi Fair. Main attraction of the stall is GI registered craft such as Sujani Craft, Madhubani Paining, Applique, Sikki Craft, Manjusa Painting and Bhagalpur Silk.

EPCH is a nodal agency for promoting exports of handicrafts from the Country to various destinations of the world and projecting India’s image abroad as a reliable supplier of high quality handicrafts goods & services. The Handicrafts exports during the Six months of current financial year from April to September, 2021-22 is Rs. 15995.73 Crores registering a growth of over 60.34% over the same period last year.