WORLD LARGEST B2B HANDICRAFTS & GIFTS FAIR “IHGF-DELHI FAIR” ENTERS IT’S 41ST EDITION & TURNED MEGA”

The Indian Handicrafts & Gifts fair (Spring) which started way back in 1994 by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts [EPCH] has entered its 41st edition.

Going with the overwhelming success of new concept, theme and presentation of IHGF-Delhi fair Autumn, organizers of the fair decided to adopt same theme and presentation for IHGF spring edition as well by giving new name to IHGF (Spring) as IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring 2016 said Shri Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director – EPCH.

The IHGF-DELHI FAIR SPRING will be held from 20 – 23 February, 2016 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida in a total area of 190000 with more than 2820 exhibitors including permanent marts , 2000+ products in 14 product categories, 300+ trend specific design developments.

Mrs. Rashmi Verma, Secretary (Textiles), Ministry of Textiles will be inaugurating the fair on 20th February, 2016 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.

The broad product categories will include houseware, home furnishing, furniture, gifts & decorative, Charismas & festive décor, carpets and rugs, fashion jewellery & accessories, Spa & wellness products, bathroom accessories, leather bags, lamps and lighting, stationery, educational toys and games. The quality is such that it caters to the all segments of consumers whether top end, middle end and bottom end. The uniqueness is eco-friendliness and most competitive prices. Designs, styles and presentation are contemporary, trendy and modern yet there is touch of tradition and ethnicity, informed Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director-Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts [EPCH].

The fair was conceptualized with the sole intention of providing a platform to handicrafts producers, manufacturers and exporters to export their products to the foreign buyers.

The show has become “One stop Sourcing destination” for major International brands Bloomingdales, Macy, K-Mart, Wall Mart, Pier 1, Mark and Spencers, Woolworth, Karstadt, Peek and Cloppen Berg, Carrefour, hobby lobby and many more further said Mr Kumar.

The 41st edition will have special highlights of series of seminars, ramp shows, live crafts demonstration, cultural shows elaborated, setting up of e-hubs and visit of domestic retail volume buyers.

Based on the indication received so far EPCH is expecting more than 5000 overseas volume buyers from departmental/chain stores, wholesaler, distributors and major International brands. The volume buyers will not only from existing markets of handicrafts in American and European continents but also from the emerging markets in the Asian continent like China, South East Asia, Central Asia Region and Africa and Latin American region.

Domestic volume retails buyers from many leading retail chains of India such as The Bombay Store, Good Earth Pvt. Ltd, West Side, Home Town, Home Centre, Home Stop alongwith e-commerce companies such as Pepperfry.com, fabfurnish.com, urban ladder.com and flipkart.com have confirmed their visit to source from IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring 2016, elaborated by ED-EPCH.

Indian arts and crafts are known world over from ancient times for intricate workmanship, exquisite nature and exclusive designs and eco-friendly raw material base. India has uniqueness of abundance of raw material, skills, workmanship and products coming from its various regions representing local culture, usages and techniques being practiced from generations to generations. About 57% of the products produced by the artisans of India are dependent to its export market.

IHGF has been a great success. It has helped the Indian producers, manufacturers and exporters to diversify their range of products keeping the trends and demand in the International markets. It has also encouraged them to develop new designs, new raw material bases and new product range for use by consumers worldwide.

IHGF has also played a vital role in diversifying exports of handicrafts, increasing production base in the country, improving quality, design, products and thereby ultimately leading to growth of exports of handicrafts. With regard to business generated during IHGF when it was started in 1994, it was merely Rs 80 crores and by the time it reached its 40th edition in October, 2015, it was Rs. 2700 crores.

All India Exports of handicrafts which were to the tune of Rs. 2520 crores 1994 when IHGF was set up now amounts to Rs. 18,639.14 crores in 2014-15. This is a great indicator of the positive contribution made upto 40th edition of IHGF –Delhi Autumn 2015 held so far.

The exports of handicrafts in nine months of current financial year is Rs. 14,782.10 (2015-16) against Rs. 13,460.25 crores in the preceding period of 2014-15, thereby showing growth of 9.82% in rupee terms and 3.02% in dollars terms. The handicraft exports is set to achieve its target of Rs. 20.368 crores (US$ 3233 million) for the year 2015-16 despite the decline in many sectors of merchandise exports from India.

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts [EPCH] which is a nodal agency for promotion and development of handicrafts has been organizing this fair for the last 22 years. IHGF-Delhi Fair Spring 2016 is expected to generate huge amount of enquiries and orders.