Asia''s largest Indian handicraft and gift fair from 13 Oct in Delhi

New Delhi: With an impressive growth of 23.5 per cent in exports for handicraft for 2002-03, the 16th Indian Handicraft and Gift Fair (IHGF) from 13-16 October 2003 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, will be inaugurated by Indian Textiles Minister Syed Shahnawaj Hussain.

The biannual four-day handicraft fair will be the largest in the area, in numbers of exhibitors, and will be the ever-largest product range on display. 'One-stop global-sourcing event' is considered as the perfect platform for the international buyers who anxiously wait for the fair.

Says IHGF-Autumn 2003 president Ashok Boob: "The aggressive campaign initiated by EPCH is expected to surpass all the previous records of international buyers, expected to be more than 7,000. The fair will attract buyers from Latin American and Central Asian countries apart from traditional international buyers form the US, Germany, the UK, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and South Africa."

One of the interesting aspects of the fair is the visit of senior journalists and the editorial staff (experts in the trade of handicraft) of five specialised business magazines from the US. The visiting staff will have an opportunity to see and feel the varied and diverse range of Indian handicraft, intricacy of craftsmanship and its cultural heritage. This attempt will help create massive awareness in the US and the adjoining markets.

Boob says handicraft exports have registered an impressive growth of 23.5 per cent over the previous year. "It has surpassed the target of Rs 7,800 crore set up the Indian government reaching at Rs 8,343 crore. Despite the perennial growth in the export of handicraft year after year, the share of the Indian market is very low."