The 41st edition of India Handicrafts and Gifts Fair, renamed as IHGF - Delhi Fair Spring 2016, organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) was declared open by Ms. Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Textiles at the India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida at a colourful ceremony here on 20 Feburuary. .

More than 2800 exhibitors, including permanent marts, are displaying houseware, home furnishing, furniture, gifts & decoratives, Christmas & festive décor, carpets and rugs, fashion jewellery & accessories, spa & wellness products, bathroom accessories, leather bags, lamps and lighting, stationery, educational toys and games in the fair.

In her inaugural address, Ms. Verma said that handicrafts is an important sector both from the economic and the social point of view. She said that the uniqueness of this sector lies in its high export potential, low capital investment requirement and immense scope for generating employment and generating job opportunities, particularly for economically and socially backward sections of society.

She further added that Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India through O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) has undertaken various developmental and promotional activities through its on-going schemes such as creating mega clusters, common facility centres and design development and technology upgradation centres.

After visiting various stands of the participating companies, she appreciated the vivid range of products on display, of high quality, matching with international standards. She advised the exporting community to lay emphasis on new designs and product innovation to retain the share of Indian handmade products in the world market as lifestyles across the globe were changing very fast.

She applauded the efforts of EPCH for constantly organizing this fair for the last 22 years, besides for other measures taken by it for promotion of exports of handicrafts from the country.

Dr. K. Gopal, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) said that the event provided a common platform under one roof for the exporting and buying community.

Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director, EPCH, said that the council has chalked out a three-pronged strategy to promote the exports of handicrafts, focusing on products, clusters and markets.

The council has been participating annually in more than 35 fairs and exhibitions being organized in different countries and in exploring new markets in Latin American, CIS, ASEAN and African regions where exports of Indian handicrafts is negligible.

He said that a strategy had been drawn up to promote the new regions within India as well, from where handicrafts exports are not substantial such as North Eastern Region, Eastern Region and Southern Region. The council is doing this by bringing artisans and craftpersons from Narsapur, North Eastern Region and Jodhpur to participate and display their crafts in the fair and by providing them direct market linkages with the domestic as well as International buying community.

Shri Dinesh Kumar, Chairman, EPCH informed that EPCH has toiled hard to make this fair world’s largest fair for home, lifestyles and fashion products and has undertaken massive publicity campaign to encourage buyers to source their requirements from this show.

A Symposium on Positioning of North Eastern Region handicrafts in Domestic & Overseas markets was held on 20.2.2016.

The IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2016 will run from 20 to 23 February and is expected to generate huge amount of enquiries and orders, given the large number of buyers from across the world visiting the fair.

According to ED-EPCH, handicrafts sector which is performing well in comparison to other sectors will be able to achieve the export target of US $ 3233 Million (Rs. 20,368 crore) in 2015-16 and to set new and ambitious targets for future years.