IHGF- Delhi Fair Spring 2017, the 43rd edition of the world’s largest handicrafts and gifts fair, will open on 16th February, 2017 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida Expressway in the NCR of Delhi. The Limca Book of World Records has recognized it as the world’s largest congregation of handicraft exhibitors under one roof. The fair will be held from February 16 - 20, 2017, spread over an area of 1,97,000 sq. metres, informed Executive Director, EPCH, Shri Rakesh Kumar.

More than 3,000 exhibitors including 900 permanent marts from all over the country will be showcasing a wide range of products belonging to fourteen product categories, namely houseware, home furnishing, furniture, gifts and decoratives, lamps and lighting, Christmas & festive décor, fashion jewellery & accessories, spa and wellness, carpets and rugs, bathroom accessories, garden accessories, educational toys & games, handmade paper products and stationery and leather bags.

Over 6,500 foreign buyers from more than 80 countries, buying agents based in India and domestic retail volume buyers are expected to visit the mega fair to source their requirements. The increase in the exhibition space and in the number of exhibitors and visitors indicate how important this event is for India as well as for the international buying community. It also demonstrates that it is an indispensable event for overseas buyers for sourcing home, lifestyles, fashion and textiles products, all provided under one roof.

The world’s largest show for home, lifestyle, fashion and textiles will bring comprehensive selections with a choice of over 2,000 products made out of different raw material bases such as wood, metal, cane and bamboo, textiles made of natural fibres, wool, silk, jute, coir, stone, leather, terracotta, lacquer and vegetable dyes.

One of the main highlights of the show will be a thematic display of products from North Eastern Region and Jodhpur Mega cluster. A theme pavilion on wooden handicrafts items produced from legally procured wood and certified under Vriksh – an indigenous Indian Timber Legality assessment and Verification scheme, will also be set up to showcase the best of wooden handicrafts items. Informative seminars related to production techniques, skill development, GSP scheme, trends and forecast, discussion on union budget and the forthcoming GST would also be held.

Realizing the phenomenal growth in the domestic retail market, the Council opened the doors of IHGF-Delhi Fair for domestic retail volume buyers and e-commerce companies during Autumn 2014. Since then, major retail brands and e-commerce companies such as Good Earth, Furniture Republic, Fab India, West Side, Archies Ltd, DLF Brands Ltd., @home, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyles Group, UrbanLadder.com, Pepperfry.com, Ajio.com, FabFurnish.com, Shopclues.com and others have become regular visitors to the fair. These companies have registered to visit and source their requirements at the 43rd edition of the Fair as well.

Interacting with the media, ED – EPCH, Mr. Rakesh Kumar said that since its inception in 1994, the IHGF- Delhi fair has made significant contribution to the handicrafts trade from India. It has not only enabled Indian exporters to participate in the show in large numbers and secure orders but has also enabled foreign buyers to source their requirements from India at one place, one time and under one roof. He said that one of the most important roles played by the IHGF has been the increase in the foreign exchange earnings of the country, besides generating employment.

Chairman, EPCH, Mr. Dinesh Kumar said that despite the fact that USA and Europe have been major buyers of India, the focus of EPCH is now on new emerging markets in hitherto unexplored and under-explored regions like Latin America, Central Asia (CIS), Africa and South East Asia.

The exports of handicrafts during April 2016 - December 2016 has registered a growth of 12.10% in rupee terms and stands at Rs. 17,937.05 crores. The growth in dollar terms is 8.25% with exports of US $ 2673.48 million. ED, EPCH said that the export target for the year 2016-17 is US$ 3600 million (Rs. 23,560.00 crores) and that the Council hopes to achieve the target.

EPCH is a nodal agency for promotion and development of handicrafts exports from the country.

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GG/DJM

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