Thai business team arrives in Tripura on four-day NE visit

Agartala, June 22 (UNI) A 29-member Thai business delegation led by Thailand Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet arrived here this morning on a two-day visit with a view to explore trade opportunity in northeast (NE).

They were accompanied by Minister for Development of NE Region (DoNER) Mani Shankar Aiyar and Union Commerce Minister of state Jairam Ramesh and top officials of both the ministries.

Besides Tripura, the delegation will meet the business groups and officials of Mizoram and Nagaland in State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (SIPARD) here.

They will also visit Guwahati and Shillong and meet the business groups and officials of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh besides, Asom and Meghalaya to study the investment opportunities as well as to set an import business with Northeastern states.

During the meeting, Thailand delegation will interact with the artisans of the states as well as officials of rubber, bamboo, handloom and handicrafts related matters, while a separate sectoral break out sessions for businessmen with Thai delegation and ministries officials would be held this afternoon.

Thailand and Bhutan authorities were convinced after seeing the handicraft products in the north-east Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and subsequent interaction with the craftsmen of the region last year.

''Thailand expressed their interest to set up a long-term relationship with northeastern states for importing bamboo products and therefore we invited them to the region and meet the primary stakeholders,'' DoNER officials told UNI here today.

The village craftsmen of Tripura earned about Rs 70 lakh annually, while more than 10,000 skilled artisans, including 2500 women, are employed in the handicrafts sector .

Presently, Tripura exports a vast range of items, including furniture, panels and partitions, tablemats and other mat products, lampshades to about 14 nations in Asia and Europe.

UNI