MoU sign between EPCH & IIFT

 

New Delhi: At the 43rd edition of IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2017, an MoU has been signed between Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) for setting up incubation centres at craft clusters of the county in order to encourage entrepreneurship in handicrafts sector.

EPCH and IIFT aim to create 5,000 entrepreneurs in next five years. A pilot incubation centre has already been initiated at Moradabad Resource Centre at Moradabad.

The recently held fair witnessed buyers from 91 countries and 3,064 exhibitors that showcased their products in 14 product segments. The fair generated business enquiries worth Rs. 1,700 crores this year. Overseas buyers’ participation increased from 4,700 last year to 4,900 at the recent edition. The maximum buyers came in from USA (625), UK (376), France (277), Germany (211), Italy (192), Australia (175), Japan (149), Netherland (147), Spain (135) and China (105). Besides, large number of domestic retail volume buyers and e-commerce companies such as Good Earth, Furniture Republic, Fab India, West Side, Archies Ltd., DLF brands Ltd., @home, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyles Group, urbanladder.com, pepperfry.com, ajio.com, fabfurnish.com, shopcleus.com also participated at the show.

More than 26 entrepreneurs from north-east and 10 from Jodhpur mega cluster participated this year with new and innovative designs.  From North East products like cane and bamboo based basketry, lamp shades, gift items, decoratives and utility products as well as furniture; cushion covers and stoles; water hyacinth products, and silk based traditional artistic textiles; and more were the main attraction for the visiting buyers. Entrepreneurs from Jodhpur mega cluster displayed leather, home furnishing, wooden, iron, horn and bone products during the show.

In addition, EPCH also organized seminars on subjects like Trends and Forecasts for Autumn/Winter 2017-18, Goods and Service Tax – Way Forward, Creating Export Start-Ups in Handicrafts Sector, Implication of Union Budget 2017-18 and Your Solution to Provide Legality of Wood.