Local artisans urged to promote products, attract buyers

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, May 12:   “If your products have failed to draw customers in comparison to products in some other stalls surrounding you then you should find out the reason why buyers are not interested in your products and try to rectify the problem at the earliest. Being a seller you need to attend to each and every buyer in an impressive manner. In this present world of competitive market one must earn the art of selling a comb to a bald man,” said Anupam Deka, a leading industrialist of the State and one of the directors of the SRD Group of Companies while sharing his ideas with local handicraft producers and artisans about promoting one’s products in the market. He was addressing the closing function of the eight-day long Handicrafts Expo-cum-Artisans Meet organized by the District Industries and Commerce Centre (DICC), Darrang here at Youth Club recently.

Appreciating the artistic skill of a section of artisans who developed different items out of waste materials, Deka told the artisans that if anyone came forward to produce items out of egg shell, he was ready to deliver 1200 kilograms of waste eggs per day to the unit free of cost. He also spoke on the benevolent schemes carried out by companies for economically backward genuine artisans under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Similarly, sharing their experiences in the exhibition and artisans meet, participating artisans Malati Deka, Himashri Boro, Rajani Sarma, Swarlata Devi and Lakshi Bhuyan termed the meet as highly beneficial in many ways including monetary, exchange of ideas with fellow artisans and interaction with buyers.

Chief Mager of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank, Mangaldai Branch, Dilowar Rahman and Assistant Lead District Mager, C. Kumar, also addressed the closing function presided over by Additiol Deputy Commissioner, Darrang R Hussain. Earlier explaining the objectives of the programme General Mager, DICC, Biswajit Das said that providing an organized platform for marketing the handicraft products and to inspire the artisans for a better future were the main purpose of the meet.

In order to boost the morale of the artisans, three best participating artisans Bipul Kalita of Maa Durga Handicraft, Lakshmi Bhuyan of Bhuyan Handicraft and Mash Kalita of Swar Prabha Paper Products were provided a cash prize of Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000and Rs 7000 respectively while other five artisans were provided a cash prize of Rs 5,000 each along with certificates. As many as 30 artisans of the district working in various handicrafts field, including cane and bamboo, fashion and weaving, wooden crafts and traditiol Assamese food stuff were invited to take part in the expo.