Srinagar, Feb 28: Indian Carpet Expo at Delhi has been hailed by the Valley carpet traders saying it was a great opportunity for them to sell their products.
According to the traders,who talked to Greater Kashmir on phone from Delhi, the response for the Kashmir made carpets was overwhelming. “This exhibition is held every year and is organized by Carpet Export Promotional Council. We have been participating in this exhibition every year, but this time we have received an incredible response which we have never seen before.”
“I have never seen such a huge response from the buyers. Our sales crossed more than five hundred thousand Euros. We have also registered orders worth two million US dollars which we have to supply in next three months,” said Sheikh Ashiq, Director Sales and Marketing Feroz Son Exports Private Limited.
Around three hundred participants from different parts of India had participated in the exhibition that concluded recently, out of which twelve stalls were managed by the Kashmiri traders.
“The participants from all parts of the country where handmade carpets are manufactured participated in the exhibition. Our company was one among them. We are exclusively dealing with the Kashmiri Silk carpets. The tremendous demand for our carpets was a matter of satisfaction not just for us but for all the people associated with this trade,” said Ashiq.
 “Initially we used to have big stocks of Kashmir silk carpets as we were hardly able to find many buyers. Even during the previous year we found very less takers of these carpets. But after participating in this exhibition I can say that if we will make good carpets there will be no dearth of buyers,” he added.
The participants maintained that the exhibition was managed by the organizers in a very effective manner and said that they were able to find potential buyers throughout the period of exhibition.
“Despite the fact that the margins are shrinking, most of the people in the expo sold their products very well. We had some excellent potential buyers who made the purchase in the expo for all the four days. The expo was very nicely organized,” said Mohi-u-Din Mirza Managing Partner Mirza Sons leading Silk exporters.
The exhibition which was held at Pragati Maidan fascinated the buyers from different countries. “It is always a kind of buyer-seller meet. This year the exhibition started on 23 Feb and ended on 26 Feb. The buyers had come from the countries like Germany, America, Middle East, and Far East and from many other countries. We had made great efforts to make the exhibition a success. Our Managing Director Sheikh Feroz had gone to overseas for marketing and to invite the buyers for the exhibition. Our efforts proved fruitful,” said Sheikh Ashiq.
However, the traders maintained that there is a shortage of carpets in Kashmir because of the reluctance of the people in taking up carpet weaving. “It is very important to improve the wages of the weavers to get them back on the looms. New generation is not ready to sit on the looms. The government has to come up with certain plans to maintain the industry as it should be,” said Mirza.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST