Over 2700 exhibitors from all over the country have displayed their products at the ‘Indian Handicraft and Gift Fair (IHGF) Autumn 2014’ at the India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, which was inaugurated by the textile minister, Mr. Santosh Kumar Gangwar today.

More than 4,000 buyers are expected to source their requirement at this fair. Countries like USA, UK, Japan, France, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, China and Australia are expected to send buyers to the event. However, buyers from Latin American region particularly Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Panama, Chile, Central Asia, Africa and Middle East will also be sourcing their requirements at the fair.

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), organizer of the fair, has so far organized 37 editions of Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair (IHGF), which has become to be recognized as “one stop sourcing event” amongst the overseas buying community and as the most effective marketing medium amongst the Indian exporters. The 38th edition of IHGF has now been re-conceputalised, renewed, reinvented and revamped by EPCH. The revamped fair is now called IHGF-Delhi Fair Autumn 2014.

The product categories on display are houseware, tableware, kitchenware, hotelware, home furnishing, home textiles, linens and madeups, Festive decor, Halloween, valentines, birthdays, anniversaries celebrations, Fashion jewellery, bags, scarves, ties, fashion compliments, Luggage, leather bags, and cases etc.

Handicrafts exports have been growing on an average annual growth rate of 15 per cent during the last decade. However, the growth during the current year was 30.80 per cent in rupee terms and 17.55 per cent in dollars terms as compared to previous year. The exports of handicrafts during the year 2013-14 were Rs. 23,504.42 crore.