The Hindu : New Delhi News : Dragon raises its head at IITF

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Thursday, Nov 16, 2006
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Dragon raises its head at IITF

Madhur Tankha

All roads seem to be leading to Pavilion 18 where Chinese products are on show

NEW ATTRACTION: Visitors arriving at the Pragati Maidan Metro railway station for the 26th India International Trade Fair on Wednesday. Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

NEW DELHI: Right from the word "go", the Dragon has started dominating the proceedings at the 26th India International Trade Fair now on at Pragati Maidan here. All roads within the sprawling exhibition grounds seem to lead to Pavilion 18 where a number of Chinese companies are showcasing not only their state-of-the-art technological and engineering products but also a wide array of consumer durables.

The neighbouring country, with the maximum number of stalls, is also the "partner country" at IITF-2006. And the presence of 200 companies from China, of which some are here only to attract importers while others are also engaging in retail sale, has given visitors a lot to cheer about.

On Wednesday morning during business hour, visitors could be seen buying good old Chinese shoes that were up for grabs for only Rs.600. With a bit of bargaining, some customers even succeeded in lowering down the price. Zhang Nengyang, the sales manager of Tibet Jing Xin Industry and Trade Company, disclosed that he was selling not only jeans -- at Rs. 600 -- but also the machines that manufacture them.

For others like Amanda Zou of Zhejiang Yeying Electric Power Vehicle Manufacture Company this exhibition is all about big business. "As we are looking at penetrating the Indian market, we have brought four-stroke scooters and electric scooters. We want to attract Indian importers and have not put our products on sale for the general public. At the moment, the market in your country is very big and very cool," she said, adding that already some importers had visited the stall and evinced interest in the products.

Also available at what is virtually "China Town" are a number of electronic appliances like washing machines and refrigerators and also silk. Wei Yong Kang, manager of Zhuji Yong Wang Pearl Company, is selling shimmering pearls, necklaces and rings. He said customers indulge in bargaining and sometimes he reduces the prices to oblige them.

"We are attracting not only Indian customers but also Chinese, Pakistanis and Thais," he added.

Mandeep Kaur, who studied Chinese literature at Delhi University, is working at Mr. Kang's stall. Admitting that language is a big barrier in doing business, she said: "Most Chinese exhibitors don't understand any other language except their own." However, some do know a smattering of English.

Unlike in the past, Chinese companies this time round have employed Indians who understand and speak their mother tongue. Wang Wen Chi, who intends to attract importers from various Indian cities with chemical fabric, has employed Abhay Kumar, a third year student of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

James Yu of Qida Company, who is here to market polyester fabric, said elderly customers constitute a sizeable proportion of the overall buyers at the exhibition this time. Apart from China, the exhibition is providing more taste of the East what with Thailand as the "focus country" at the fair. Its stalls are full of attractive goodies. Manij Tangsuphoom, general manager of Magic World Enterprises, said that on Wednesday there had been only average sales but people are definitely curious about Thai pearls and necklaces.

Upaiporn Boonkam, who is participating at the fair for the fourth consecutive year, said: "The response to our products, especially artificial flowers, has been overwhelming. We also have floating flowers that are factory-made. We have importers in Chennai and Mangalore and are looking for new ones here." Another Thai woman, Nida,is selling exquisitely crafted watches at affordable rates and also gigantic clocks. An interesting aspect at the Thai stalls is a number of girls from the North East working in large numbers. Inaholi, from Nagaland, said that she got the job because of her looks and also because she can also understand a few Thai words.

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