The Hindu : B2B meet to be made an annual event

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

B2B meet to be made an annual event

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, FEB. 21. The three-day Business-to-Business meet which concluded here today received nearly 2,000 one-to-one interactions between buyers and sellers, according to P. H. Kurian, Secretary (Investment Promotion) and Director of Industries and Commerce.

Addressing mediapersons at a press conference at the venue, he said the meet was a success `much beyond expectations'.

Based on the response received, the Government had already announced its intention to give emphasis to small and medium scale industries along with the thrust given to information technology and biotechnology. He said that the success of B2B meet might prompt other States to follow suit.

The Government was planning to make the B2B meeting an annual meet, he said. A permanent pavilion to conduct trade exhibitions was also under consideration. NRIs had already expressed willingness to invest in the project, envisaged to be executed with private participation, he said. National exhibitions could also be conducted at the pavilion, according to him.

Mr. Kurian said apart from traditional sectors like spice and coir, the event had helped to bring the spotlight on Ayurveda, herbal products, machinery, wood-based products, etc. The Government was confident that the products of Kerala had the potential to grow as a global brand. Talks were on with a German company ZGH which had its office in Bangalore, for establishing a prospective global marketing tie-up.

Raghulal, the CII vice-chairman (Kerala), Rajagopal, general manager, the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-bip), S. Ramanath, general manager, the Kerala State Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA), Xavier Thomas Kondody, president of the Kerala State Small Industries Association (KSSIA), and Ms. Bhavani, Additional Secretary, Coir, were present at the press conference.

Mr. Raghulal said the event was significant because of the change in the Government's role from that of a regulator to a facilitator. This would give more confidence to the industrial sector. Ms. Bhavani said there was a transition in focus from production to marketing. The need for marketing could be impressed upon the Government by the small-scale sector, according to her. Mr.Raghulal said there was more awareness among the manufacturers about the quality of their products. This would be a good development from the export point of view. He also disclosed that the CII would come out with a study on quality improvement soon. Mr. Kondody said the meet had given a new thrust to the small scale sector. The KSSIA would follow up the trade contracts through the sub-contract exchange system.

The number of buyers who participated in the meet exceeded 250 while there were 310 registered sellers. Trade delegations from 8 countries - Canada, Netherlands, U.S., Australia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Slovakia and Germany -- represented by their respective diplomatic missions also attended the meet. There were 42 individual registrations from abroad. The meet was organised by the Department of Industries, Government of Kerala, in association with the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-bip), the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and the Kerala State Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA).

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