Handicraft trade fair kicks off in capital

KATHMANDU, Nov 22: Handicraft Trade Fair and 8th Craft Competition kicked off in Kathmandu on Thursday, in a bid to provide platform for promotion of hand-made goods produced in the country.



The five-day fair, formally inaugurated by Finance Minister Barshaman Pun, showcases handicraft produced in different districts of the country in more than 200 stalls and 10 pavilions. [break]



More than 300,000 people will visit the fair, which has attracted participants from countries such as India and Bangladesh, said Pushkar Man Shakya, immediate past president of the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN).



The fair, which has brought together products from districts such as Ramechhap, Kaski, Myagdi, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Tanahu and Palpa, among others, showcases handicraft items made of leather, silver, wool and paper, to name a few.



"These products are displayed in different pavilions which are the highlights of the fair. There are Indian and Pakistani pavilions as well," Shakya said.

Handicraft entrepreneurs, meanwhile, have requested the government to introduce sound policies to ensure sustained development of the country´s handicraft sector.



"The country´s handicraft sector can experience sound growth only if the government develops required infrastructure to support us," FHAN President Bikash Ratna Dhakhwa said, urging the government "to properly implement the Industrial Policy 2010", which pledges a slew of incentives for the handicraft sector.



In response, Minister Pun said: "The government is ready to support and develop the required infrastructure to uplift the handicraft sector. The country is in a transitional phase and we have to work hard to cross this phase."



Touching upon the current situation of the country, Minister Pun said the country needs more than Rs 500 billion of capital expenditure every fiscal year to achieve a double-digit growth. "We even haven´t been able to launch a complete fiscal plan," he said. "The government has been handicapped due to lack of full-fledged budget and most of the development activities have been stalled."



Indian Ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad said India was always ready to support Nepal´s development endeavors in order to make lives of Nepalis more prosperous. "We are pleased to be a partner in Nepal´s development effort," Prasad said.



India is a partner country of the fair organizer, FHAN. "The participation of Indian entrepreneurs in the fair is meaningful for both the countries," Prasad said, adding, Nepali handmade paper is widely popular in India.

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