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Gems and Jewellery Expo 2016 kicks off
Gems and Jewellery Expo 2016 kicked off on Friday displaying a wide range of gold and silver jewellery along with ornaments made of precious stones in 35 stalls.Gems and Jewellery Expo 2016 kicked off on Friday displaying a wide range of gold and silver jewellery along with ornaments made of precious stones in 35 stalls.
The three-day fair has been jointly organised by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (Fhan), Federation of Nepal Gold & Silver Dealers’ Association (Fenegosida) and Federation of Nepal Gold Silver Gem and Jewellery Associations.
Expo coordinator Ramesh Maharjan said the expo aimed to enlarge the presence of the sector in the domestic and international markets. According to him, 70 traders from India, Nepal and the US have exhibited ornaments made of rare gems like tourmaline that is found mainly in the Everest region.
Modern equipment used in manufacturing ornaments and valuable accessories are the other attractions at the expo. Hundreds of people thronged the event to see the exclusive gems, crystals and jewellery. According to the organizers, the expo’s theme is developing a network among local traders and promoting the market.
Fenegosida President Mani Ratna Shakya said around 2 million people depended on this industry for their livelihood. “The government should give proper attention to the promotion of this sector,” said Shakya. “This will help to produce gems and jewellery of international standard.”
According to the organizers, Nepali jewellery has been unable to find many buyers in the international market due to its traditional look, and hence they are planning to study how the manufacturing process can be modified.
Gopal Pyakurel, managing director of Forever Gems and Jewelleries which has opened a stall at the expo, said they had been present in the Nepal market since 2003, but still cannot find a good number of customers.
He also expressed concern at the lack of skilled labour in the industry, adding that he had been forced to close his operation many times due to lack of skilled labour.
Inaugurating the event, Prime Minister KP Oli pledged to provide promotional support to the gems and jewellery sectors.