Assam to promote eri, muga at Textiles India 2017

Assam, one of the partner states for Textiles India 2017, will be promoting eri and muga silk variants along with other handloom and handicraft items at the event. The fair will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from June 30 to July 2. Close to 1,300 exhibitors are expected to display their products for over 2,500 international and 15,000 domestic buyers.

As a partner state for the fair, Assamese products are expected to get significant exposure at B2B meetings, conferences and more, said Subrata Gupta, joint secretary (export), ministry of textiles while speaking to media persons.

He added that visitors from more than 87 countries will attend the event and over 1,838 foreign buyers have already registered for it.

About 92 per cent of the world's eri silk and 99 per cent of muga silk is produced in Assam and the state will mainly promote these and other natural fibres. Eri silk, which is produced without killing silkworms, will be promoted as 'ahimsa silk' or non-violent silk, said Mukti Gogoi, commissioner and secretary, of the state department of handloom, textile and sericulture while addressing the media.

Silk products will be displayed in an area of around 1,350 square metres at the fair venue with the support of the Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC). Over 100 member exporters of ISEPC will display their products at the venue.

The Northeast region will present a thematic display of products at the event. Seven exporters from Assam have been selected to participate in it, said Jesmina Zeliang, regional convener, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Northeast region.