The stage is completely set for the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH)’s 53rd edition of India Handicraft and Gift Fair (IHGF) – one of the world’s largest handicrafts fairs.
The massive event is scheduled to take place from 30 March to 3 April 2022 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.
The 15th edition of the Indian Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Show (IFJAS) will be co-located and held concurrently.
Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman, EPCH said in a press meet that the event will showcase home, lifestyle, fashion, textiles and furniture products from 2,500+ handicrafts exporters across the country.
This edition will have a wide-ranging selection of 2,000+ new products and 300+ design expressions spanning across 14 product categories like houseware, home furnishing, apparel furniture, gifts and decoratives, carpets and rugs, leather bags, etc.
The theme pavilions depicting crafts from North Eastern Region, Rajasthan, Ladakh, J&K and Bihar will be amongst major attractions for the visiting overseas buying community.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar, DG, EPCH welcomed the Indian Government’s proposed lifting of international travel restrictions from 27 March 2022, which would ease buyers’ transit.
Overseas buyers from over 90 countries have pre-registered to visit the fair.
Though there are hardly any traces of COVID 19 virus in India– and Delhi NCR as such– EPCH is organising this fair with all necessary safety protocols and SOPs for organising B2B trade expositions issued by WHO and Govt. of India.
EPCH has laid down guidelines to be followed by exhibitors, buyers and visitors at the fair venue which include thermal scanning at entry, colour badge wise entry, compulsory face masks, hand sanitisation machines, maintaining physical distancing, respiratory etiquettes, medical facility, isolation centre at the venue, Covid enforcement officer, Aarogya Setu app (for domestic visitors), CCTV, etc.
The show will also have visitors from major Indian retail and online platforms, brands including Amazon, Flipkart, Reliance Brands Limited, Fab India, Praxis Home Retail Limited, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail ltd, Westside, Future Group, to mention few.
The event will also include knowledge seminars with expert faculty from India and overseas.
The handicrafts sector has sustained manufacturing and exports, through the pandemic. The continual virtual trade shows as well as the first post-pandemic physical show – the 52nd IHGF Delhi Fair-Autumn 2021– have been instrumental to the sector achieving estimated exports of Rs. 29,626.96 crore (US $ 3,981.72 million) during eleven months (April-February) of 2021-22, which is significantly higher than the exports during April-March 2020-21, which stood at Rs. 25,679.98 crore (US $ 3,459.75 million).
