Northeast enterpreneurs to showcase silk fabrics at Textile India 2017

At the three-day Textile India 2017 global exhibition to be held in Gandhinagar from June 30, fifteen entrepreneurs from the Northeast will showcase their products which will include the rustle of Assamese silk, crispy-soft Manipuri cotton and the warrior shawls of the Nagas. This will add vibrancy to a global textile exhibition in Gujarat.

Mukta Gogoi, the commissioner of handlooms, textiles and sericulture, said that as Assam is one of the partners of the exhibition, they will send seven entrepreneurs to the event. Assam will showcase its silk textiles for which it is already globally famous. Their primary focus will be on muga and eri silk. They will also showcase a wide variety of textiles in mulberry and tassar silk.

Assam is the highest producer of muga and eri in the country, accounting for 99 percent and 92 percent of the total production respectively.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is yet to decide how they will represent their state in the exhibition. There might be some changes in the plan after he decides. So far, they have decided to set up 11 kiosks, the commissioner said in a news conference organised by the Union ministry of textiles in Guwahati.

Jesmina Zeliang, the regional convener of the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, said that they received a list of top entrepreneurs from each of the seven states in the Northeast. They shortlisted those who have more experience in exporting their products. The seven participants from Assam have a long experience of sending their products to the UK.

More than 1,000 sellers, 2,500 international buyers and 15,000 national buyers will be present at the exhibition. The venue is spread over an area of 1,25,000 square feet, of which, 75,000 square feet has been set aside for the exhibition.

Subrata Gupta, the joint secretary, ministry of textiles, at the briefing said that the participants from the Northeast have been allotted 4,000 square feet area to set up their kiosks. Assam, being the partner state, will get more importance and area in the event.

It will provide a common business platform for indigenous entrepreneurs in the international market.