Guwahati: The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), a leading trade promotion body under the Government of India, has organised the 14th East Himalayan Trade Fair (EHTF) and the inaugural East Himalayan Agri Expo 2025 at Chandmari starting January 23 to 29 at the Assam Engineering Institute playground.
The event features a wide range of consumer goods, including electrical appliances, electronics, kitchenware, food and confectionery items, health and beauty products, textiles and garments, leather goods, handicrafts, furniture, home furnishings, carpets, jute products, books, stationery, corporate gifts, and products from self-help groups.
The expo highlights products from the agriculture and horticulture sectors, such as processed and frozen foods, organic items, spices, dairy products, tea, coffee, aqua and marine products, agricultural tools, and other related industries.
Additionally, it showcases capital and service sector goods, including engineering equipment, items for hospitals, nursing homes, laboratories, and diagnostic centres, as well as offerings from insurance and banking services, the tourism sector, NGOs, IT and computer industries.
Business North East (BNE) spoke to Rumela Roy Das, Regional Manager of ITPO, Kolkata, who shared, “We are organising this fair for the third time, keeping in mind the centre's focus on the northeastern region. The primary mission of this event is to connect pan-India business opportunities."
While recognising the vast and vibrant agricultural opportunities in the region, she further mentioned that it's the inauguration of the East Himalayan Agri Expo.
"Another significant focus area is the MSME sector, which is the backbone of the Indian economy. A substantial portion of our Gross Domestic Product comes from MSME production and services. Therefore, one of the key objectives of this fair is to boost, support, and provide market exposure to the MSME sector through a platform like the Trade Fair, which serves as a vital avenue for achieving this agenda,” she said while adding that the total number of stalls that have been set is 175. Additionally, she mentioned that this kind of trade fair helps startups and entrepreneurs.
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"Firstly, the expectation is that local people will experience the diversity of India through this fair. Secondly, the sellers, or people managing the stalls, will gain market exposure. They will understand where they stand in the market—for example, why their products are not selling compared to products from other stalls. Trade fairs provide insights into the market and help participants evaluate the competitiveness and capability of their products," she further stated while explaining the key aspects behind organising such events, with the expectation that both ends align perfectly. She also revealed that as many as 175 stalls have been set up for the event this year.
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