A two-day India Jewellery Buyer-Seller Meet that brings together 30 International buyers from eight countries and 24 leading Indian manufacturers of plain and studded handcrafted gold jewellery opened today in Kolkata in the presence of Smt Rupa Dutta, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman GJEPC and other leading members of the trade.

The event, being held over December 4 and 5, 2018 has buyers from Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, UK and USA and aims to create new business ties as well as add fresh vigour to bilateral trade and investment, GJEPC said in a release.

Key decision makers representing buyers from these markets will hold one-on-one meetings with the Indian exhibitors.

Addressing the gathering, Smt Rupa Dutta said, “The gems and jewellery sector forms a very important part of our export basket, and the government has been specially nurturing the sector due to its high employability. The Eastern part of India specially Bengal, contributes to the Indian jewellery eco-system. A large number of jewellery workers who are known for their skills, especially for handmade jewellery designs are from Bengal. Kolkata jewellery is much sought after and well-known world over.”

She stressed that one of the major aims of such buyer seller meets is to “promote exquisite handcrafted jewellery and thus enhance the value addition, improve the branding of our jewellery and give a better place in the international market”.

Smt Dutta also said that the government along with GJEPC is setting up Common Facility Centers in all major gem and jewellery clusters in India including Kolkata, where work on the project will start by the end of the month. “Currently, India is the world’s fourth largest exporter of gold jewellery. The industry needs to work together for proper branding and marketing of their products and scale up in the value chain, by providing expensive jewellery and affordable jewellery, which will be acceptable to the millennials over the world,” she said.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Shri Pramod Agrawal said, “In the recent past the Government has taken major steps for ease of doing business, which is helping the industry to grow. GJEPC is organizing buyer seller meets at various states, thus giving our MSME players a platform where they can interact with international buyers. This will also help our sellers to know the international demands and also with buyers’ guidance exhibitors can manufacture products accordingly.”

Acknowledging the support of the government, he further said, “Whenever GJEPC has approached the ministry offices, be it of the commerce minister or the various secretaries, all have been very positive, proactive and supportive in solving the export-related hurdles.”