The Hindu Business Line : Industrial fair in Kolkata from Dec 20; jute to be main theme

THE 18th Industrial India Trade Fair, considered the single-most important annual trade event of eastern and north-eastern part of the country will be held in the city from December 20 to 31 with " jute" as the main theme.

China has agreed to participate as one of the partners of the fair, which will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

The Chairman of the trade fair committee, Mr S.K. Ghosh, told newspersons here on Wednesday that altogether 20 business organisations from three States of China confirmed their participation with exhibits covering iron art equipment, shoe making, lamps, cosmetic, engineering equipment, air conditioner, ceramic tiles, electro-communication machinery, wood products and energy-related activities.

The Chinese team would be led by an official from the China Council of Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

Mr Ghosh said that the fair would have a special pavilion showcasing diversified jute products and its uses. In addition, there would be large participation from the jute sector as well as from hosiery industry.

The fair authority decided to highlight the jute sector as more than five lakh people in the State were dependent of jute cultivation. Moreover, this sector has tremendous potential to provide huge employment in manufacturing diversified jute products.

The fair is being organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce Industry (BNCCI) with active support of the West Bengal Government and India Trade Promotion Organisation.

The fair is claimed to have taken an international dimension following participation from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Turkey, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

This apart, the organisers have been able to attract participants from the public and private sectors from various States in the country.

It was pointed out that the business climate in West Bengal was undergoing a massive change. The State was now considered as one of the best locations for outsourcing of services by the developed countries.

Mr Ghosh said the situation would further improve to attract foreign investment in the State.

He said the fair committee would organise several "buyer-seller" meets with special attention to the engineering industries, transfer of modern technologies from research institutes and laboratories.

A seminar on intellectual property rights would also be organised on this occasion. He was confident that the number of participants this time would be more that last year's number of 800 and direct order booking and business enquiries from the fair were expected to exceed the levels of last year.

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