Nepal International Trade Fair 2019 is scheduled to kick off on March 28 at Exhibition Hall, Bhrikutimandap. The expo, which is in its eighth edition, is jointly organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal with support from the Ministry of Commerce.

The fair aims to promote Nepal’s international trade and enhance the growth of the exportable products base with a focus on items identified by the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy, said the organiser.

The fair will highlight Nepali handicraft and agricultural products in particular, said Bhawani Rana, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “There will be separate pavilions for handicraft goods and agricultural products,” she said. The exhibition will be an effective platform to showcase domestic products in the global market, she said.  

There will be more than 300 stalls at the fair exhibiting national and international goods and services. The displays will deal with handicraft goods; tourism products; information technology and commercial information; agricultural products; energy, building and construction goods; and educational institutions.

Stall booking has opened, and so far exhibitors from China have reserved 80 stalls, exhibitors from India 10 stalls, exhibitors from Pakistan 15 stalls and exhibitors from Bangladesh 40 stalls. There will be exhibitors from countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation besides China, Thailand and Myanmar. Buyers from South Asia and China, Korea and Japan are expected to visit the fair.

The organisers also plan to hold live interaction programmes with international buyers.

Last year, more than 100,000 national and international visitors observed the fair where 340 exhibitors showcased their goods and services, the organiser said. The total turnover was Rs150 million, and the organisers said they expected Rs150-200 million worth of transactions to be conducted this year. The Trade and Export Promotion Centre has provided Rs2.5 million to support the event.