Nepal 13th International Industrial Trade Fair and Innovation Expo 2017, held at the Exhibition Hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, is off to a great start. 

The expo, organised by Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI), has seen close to 40,000 visitors walk through the entrance in two days and expects this number to increase even further according to the organisers. 

“This year’s expo has been very successful,” said Roshani Upadhyaya, one of the organisers, “All of the booths have been sold out and the turnout is even better than we expected.”

While the organisers were appeased by the general state of things, the weather threatened to dampen the proceedings. Saturday was earmarked by the organisers as the day where most of visitors would attend the expo but the weather proved them wrong. Inside the expo, exhibitors were enjoying the reception of the visitors. Sales of domestic products like pottery and clothes in the past two days were beyond expectations and the exhibitors are looking for similar sales in the next few days of the expo. 

“We have been coming here in the past, but this year, the aura of the place is quite different. The people are buying a lot of our items and it feel pretty good to come all the way from Kanchanpur and see such good sales.” said Maniraj Bhatta who occupied a pottery booth in the expo.

The international exhibitors have had similar joy in this year’s expo as well.

Even visitors are having a good time. People who just come for a day out are enjoying the entertainment programmes and the innovative demonstrations of items like automatic mops, mini-cranes, handlooms and more. Those looking to learn about domestic industries are getting acquainted with various ideas and resources at the expo.

“I have personally gotten a lot of ideas to operate a domestic industry,” said Hari Kumar, who wishes to open his own small industry for textile, “The international stalls are really something too.”

The expo showcases domestic products like ornaments, handlooms, pottery, clothes, cuisine and more. There are also programmes like cultural shows, music, dances to keep visitors entertained. By bringing together various domestic industry stakeholders to one place, the expo aims to boost the internal production of the country as a whole.

“The success of this expo is one step closer to improving the domestic industry of Nepal,” said Shyam Prasad Giri, president of FNCSI.