Delhi Trade Fair: South Africans to focus on price sensitivity of Indians at IITF

New Delhi, Nov 16: Given the price sensitivity among Indians, the South African government officials plan to focus more on the manufacture of symbolic and religious products and offer them for sale in the next editions of India International Trade Fair (IITF).

The focus would be to exhibit more of symbolic and religious products - like swastika and idols of gods and goddesses - with African touch and high design.

"We are thinking of making more products with the kind of symbolism that resonates with Indians. We already are well aware of how religious Indians are. We have not been getting a very good response for the products offered at present by our traders as the prices are fixed," Vuyisit Mshuduw, deputy director of South Africa's department of small business development, told IANS.

South Africa has the highest number of exhibitors in the ongoing Trade Fair.

Currently, products like ceramics, jewellery, diamonds and handicrafts have been exhibited at the South African stalls in hall number 18 of the India Trade Promotion Organisation.

"We know that India has the largest middle class market. It thus becomes important for us to manufacture products for which they do not bargain. We have to understand the sentimentality of the customers here," said Mshuduw.

"Our aim is to access the Indian market. We have been encouraging more and more woman trader to participate through this IITF. This can happen only when we get a good response from the Indian customers," said Stefanus Botes, Minister Counsellor, Economic, at the South African High Commission.

He said the Indo-African Forum Summit on October 26-29 opened up several opportunities for African traders.

"The summit boosted our trade relations. Several ideas were discussed. I hope we will very soon implement them. Either we make products that really attracts the Indian customers or make products available at reasonable price," Botes said.

IANS