Bihar has taken its khadi to Kerala, where it will showcase its wide range of products at a three-day buyer-seller meeting beginning Friday. The focus will be on silk and cotton fabric in an attempt to penetrate the market in the “God’s own country”.
A total of 21 khadi institutions selected from different districts of the state and led by Bihar Rajya Khadi Gramodyog Board (BRKGB), popularly known as Khadi Board, will set up 22 stalls at Kochi in Kerala.
The event, which is being held in association with the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at Ernakulathappan Ground, will be inaugurated by Malayalam movie actor Krishna Kumar, who has interests in khadi and allied sectors. It will see 60 reputable Kerala-based buyers evaluating a wide range of Bihar Khadi products including, cotton fabric, silk sarees, dress material, readymade garments, bedsheets, honey, Madhubani painting among others.
“We are going to tell people and big buyers of Kerala about the quality and beauty of Bhagalpur khadi silk, and how popular it is in European countries, where they are turned into silk ties, shirts and coats by big brands and exported all over the world. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will also be signed with buyers on the occasion,” BSKGB chief executive officer (CEO) B.N. Prasad told The Telegraph over phone from Kochi. Prasad added that the Khadi Board will also showcase four clusters that are being established in Bihar with an intention to forge market linkages with the down south.
These include the honey production cluster in Munger, flower cluster in Gaya–Bodhgaya, where used flowers from temples will be used to produce natural dyes, incense sticks, perfumes and mushroom production, khadi cloth bag cluster in Patna, and shoe cluster in Nalanda.
“Kerala has a sizeable market for khadi products but they do not have their own production. The people here know about Bihar khadi and love it. We will try to fulfil it through buyer–seller linkages,” Prasad said.
Once the Kerala event gets over, the state will take its khadi products to Salem in Tamil Nadu to showcase them from October 9 to 11.