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Nepal Int’l Trade Fair 2016 begins
The fifth edition of the Nepal International Trade Fair got underway at Bhrikuti Mandap on Thursday with President Bidhya Devi Bhandari inaugurating the mega event which hosts 340 stalls and exhibitors from Nepal, China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.The fifth edition of the Nepal International Trade Fair got underway at Bhrikuti Mandap on Thursday with President Bidhya Devi Bhandari inaugurating the mega event which hosts 340 stalls and exhibitors from Nepal, China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bhandari said that organizing international trade fairs in Nepal would be key factor in the economic integration of the South Asian region.
The President added that such fairs would also help Nepali products get a wider customer base.
The five-day fair has brought together national and international traders under a single roof to showcase their merchandise which range from garments, footwear, herbal products, handicrafts, agricultural goods and construction materials to ornaments, plastic products, food and beverages.
Organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the fair aims to promote Nepali brands in the global arena and enhance the growth of exportable goods, particularly those listed in the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS).
FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka said the ongoing fair was a forum for exporters, importers and the entire business community. “It is also a platform to send a message to the international community that Nepal’s investment climate has improved.”
He added that traders should look towards establishing long-term business relations instead of using the trade fair for one-time buying and selling. Traders from Japan, South Korea and Thailand are also attending the fair. The FNCCI said that the China Exhibition and Forum and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) would lead the delegations of the respective countries at the fair. A 20-member business delegation from China’s Sichuan province will be attending the event.
Rajib Singh, director general of the ICC, said that around 80 Indian companies were seeking partners to set up a distribution channel and joint ventures at the fair. “I hope this expo will be a platform for such unions between business partners,” he added.
Similarly, Keshav Raj Pandey, chairman of the Trade Fair Committee of the FNCCI, said that the expo would be a one-stop platform to brand Nepali products in the South Asian region.
FNCCI Vice-President Bhawani Rana highlighted the need to build proper infrastructure to host international expos of such magnitude. “The government must take the initiative to construct appropriate infrastructure to host big international events like this.”