Kenyan art & Iranian gems at trade fair

KOLKATA: The India International Mega Trade Fair, an annual event in the city’s calendar, has shot into prominence this year with an unusually high number of global participants who are desperately seeking a platform for sales and promotion of goods at a time when markets worldwide are experiencing a slump.
Apart from businessmen from the neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar, traders from Iran, Turkey, Ghana and Kenya have set up stalls at the 10th edition of the fair.
Mariam Makama, a firsttime participant from Kenya, is here to promote African goods and antiques. With sales taking a hit in the markets that she usually frequents, Makama decided to check out opportunities that the trade fair in Kolkata may offer. “In these trying times, any new market is welcome. That Indian economy is robust and doesn’t get impacted as severely as some others helped make the decision,” she said.
Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) is hoping the trade fair at the fag end of what has been a forgettable year will spur a revival of businesses in the region. “Given how bleak the scenario is elsewhere, a trade fair in Kolkata is an important platform as eastern India is a huge market. I am here to promote indigenous products like ‘kantha’ and ‘jamdani’,” said BSCIC representative Sahadat Hossain.
Nepal’s Trade & Export Promotion Centre is also participating in the fair. Annapurna Handicrafts board member Dibyatara Tuleadhar hopes to forge business bonds during the trip that generates demand in the long term. “Usually we export handicraft items to Japan, US and EU. This is our first outing at a fair in Kolkata,” he said.
Iranian trader Bocos Tido, an exporter of precious stones gems and jewellery to the US and Europe, is here to explore opportunities as well. With consumer spends in America and European Union down, he has felt the pinch as have others who do business in these markets.
Myanmar jeweller Myomyo Thant is at the fair with a booty that include Burmese Ruby, Burmese Sapphire and diamond and gold jewellery. “We are here to promote the products that customers in Kolkata haven’t seen much of,” said Thant.
Pakistani trader Md Qasim was at the Mega Trade Fair in 2009. And he is back here again despite the depressed market conditions. The merchant from Karachi says the Onyx products he sells bring luck to customers. This time though, it is the traders who are looking forward to a slice of luck. And they are hoping it will come from the fair in Kolkata.