Leaf plate makers, ceramic potteries to airport developers – UP Trade Show open for all

From makers of eco-friendly leaf plates and grass products and potteries with ceramic works to airport developers and multinational firms, everyone is getting business opportunities at Uttar Presh's first-ever International Tre Show.

President Droupi Murmu h inaugurated UP ITS 2023 at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater ida on September 21 in presence of state's Chief Minister Yogi ityanath and a bevy of ministers from his cabinet. event is scheduled to end on Monday.

More than 70,000 business-to-business buyers from 70 countries have registered for tre show, and over 2,000 exhibitors have put up stalls at ITS which has witnessed thousands of visitors, according to officials.

In one of 15 halls of Mart, re is a stall of Artisan Handicrafts Impex that procures eco-friendly bowls and plates me of leaves and products like coasters, containers me of 'Moonj' (a perennial grass that grows near river banks and also kwn as Sarpata or Sarkanda) by women self-help groups across Uttar Presh.

Sangeeta Sharma who runs Artisan Impex said she gives rural women design training to make se products which were tritionally used in India and are environment-friendly.

"We don't use wood and re is carbon emission. Every product is unique since all are handme. y are also lightweight and easy to use. We are trying to go back to our tritional, eco-friendly lives. new generation discarded it and moved on to plastic, but we have seen havoc created by it," Sharma told PTI.

Tritional craftsmanship in various forms such as brass utensils of Morab, wooden toys of Varanasi, cricket bats from Meerut, and clay utensils of Azamgarh are also attracting entrepreneurs.

At same time, stakeholders from real estate, hospitality and healthcare, and government ncies are also making ir presence felt.

"We have t been to any event of this scale. District Industrial Council is motivating businesses like ours. It's helpful and convenient for us to find a platform to showcase our products directly to exporters," said Shorya Jain of Raizon Creations Culturway, which has put on display famous woodwork of Saharanpur.

His partner Ashish Panwar agreed, saying ir experience so far at event has been good and y were hoping to connect with exporters.

Ar exhibitor Shalabh Singhania of R K Potteries has brought popular ceramic works of Khurja, Bulandshahr to mega tre show.

"I have been in this business since 1991 and I can tell you that this is a good exposure for our products. I have been to places like Mumbai also for exhibitions but this is first time here in UP at this scale," he said.

Singhania ded that he was yet to connect with domestic wholesale buyers, although a lot of retail buyers have alrey contacted him for business.

Dom L Subang, who has reached UP ITS from Davao City in Philippines, said his SF Group of Companies has come to find collaboration opportunities in field of artificial intelligence.

"My work is related to agriculture sector and I am looking to connect with someone for AI collaboration for growth of my business in my home," Subang told PTI.

He said many businesses in his country import products and services from China but are w looking at India for collaborations.

"Indian products and services come with two important factors with m – quality and affordability," Subang, who was part of a 20-member delegation from Philippines, said.

Christoph Schnellman, CEO of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG which is developing ida International Airport, said he was overwhelmed by size and diversity of exhibitors.

"I think it's a real testament to dynamism and vibrancy of ecomy in UP," Schnellman told PTI.

He said he was convinced that ida International Airport will make "a big, big difference" and will contribute massively to furr growth and development of this ecomy across entire bro cross-section.

"We feel very much at home and a part of this ecomic growth in state of UP," he ded.