Tap huge export potential for handmade paper products:KVIC

Panaji, Mar 11 (UNI) India needs to tap huge export market potential for its handmade paper products, said Mr K Mohan Rao, Director, Directorate of Handmade Paper and Fibre Industry under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission(KVIC).

Interacting with mediapersons before organising a five-day ''Buyer-Seller Meet-cum-Exhibition on handmade paper and fibre and paper products here today, Mr Rao with as many as 25 industries from different parts of the country were participating in the event.

''The objective is to raise awareness about the eco-friendly nature of the products and promote sales, both in domestic and export markets,'' he said.

Film will be exhibited on making of the hand made paper under different schemes with details to encourage youth to set shops, he said.

Two small units in Jaipur, started recently, had exported products worth Rs 42 crore last year and the export potential was very high as against Rs 105 crore worth products manufactured during 2006-07 with sales turnover of Rs 128.13 crore, he said.

The KVIC expects export of handmade paper of about Rs 125 crore this year in the backdrop of many units becoming 100 per cent export- oriented units recently.

The KVIC had been recently conferred the Export Promotion Council status to give a boost to the exports, he added.

Fine quality paper made of banana waste for making lamp shades in exquisite shapes by a unit in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, another unit from Uttar Pradesh with the paper looking like a ''zari sari'' with inricate designs, several other products made of handmade paper like gift boxes were some of the attractions in the exhibition.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Chairperson Goa State Khadi and Village Industries Board Monika Dias in presence of its vice-chairman Dr Ulhas Parab and Chief Executive Officer J B Bhingui.

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