Guwahati: The second edition of Karigar Mela, organized by the Assam chapter of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) concluded on a high note on Saturday, after nine days of bringing together artisans from various parts of the country and providing them with a platform to exhibit their skills and products.
Business North East reached out to several traders at the fair and asked them whether it had been successful for them.
Jayanta Nama from Tripura shared that in the first four days of the fair, his 90-member group registered under NABARD earned over Rs 30,000, with a daily average of Rs 7,000. Mangal Devi Chakma, another trader from Tripura, showcased the richness of tradition with his products and achieved sales exceeding Rs 85,000.
Manju Borah from Lakhimpur, Assam, a trainee under NABARD earned around Rs 10,000 in the initial four days by selling water hyacinth products, which are fast becoming a rage nationwide. Riquen from Sivasagar was able to sell goods worth over Rs 50,000 for which he extended his gratitude to NABARD. Imdadul Islam from Nagaon offering organic vegetables from Farmers' Producer Companies (FPCs) with 710 members, reported earnings of around Rs. 10,000 in just one day. On the other hand, Bharati Pal from Goalpara, a pottery maker, sold wares worth around Rs 5,000 but noted a decrease in sales over time, indicating potential areas for improvement.
Traders from the Hindi heartland, of whom there were many, also reported satisfactory sales.
A trader who introduced herself as Monica said she sold around 30,000 brass items. The Chhattisgarh native said she sold unique brass products made of honey wax, without delving deeper into details. On the other hand, Nazia from Madhya Pradesh, heading a 150-member NGO, sold products worth Rs 15,000. Md. Namul Ansari from Jharkhand, selling traditional silk sarees, contributed to the diverse range of offerings at the fair, earning around Rs 35,000 in just four days.
Karigar Mela 2.0 was a national-level event aimed at providing exposure to indigenous craftsmen and farmers engaged in organic cultivation. “The aim is to empower the rural artisans to align their products with market demand and enhance their representation. NABARD's role in fostering wholesale integrated rural markets covering various aspects of rural activities, from crop cultivation to non-farm activities like handloom and handicraft, was evident throughout the event”, a senior NABARD official told Business North East.
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