The three-day Kerala Business-to-Business Meet 2016 for small and medium enterprises will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the CIAL Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre, Nedumbassery, on February 4 at 9.30 a. m.
The meet, being organised by the State Department of Industries and Commerce, will bring together 200 SMEs from across Kerala and nearly 490 buyers from India and abroad. Buyers from 31 countries and 18 Indian States have registered for participation in the event.
The aim of the meet is to facilitate direct interactions between trade and business community in the international market and small-scale manufacturers in Kerala, said P. M. Francis, Director, Industries and Commerce.
Seven sectors are being showcased at the meet, which will serve as a platform for Kerala’s small-scale manufacturers across the industry to showcase their products before the international business community, he said.
V. Rajagopal, chief executive officer, Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion, said that new sellers had been included in the upcoming edition of the B2B meet.
The largest number of buyers are expected from Sri Lanka. Around 7,000 business interactions are expected at this year’s event, he said. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is the business partner for the event.
The Federation has been entrusted with the task of bringing in buyers from foreign countries for the meet, said Savio Mathew, Kerala head of FICCI. Pre-arranged one-on-one meetings between the buyers and sellers are key features of this year’s event.
The State’s food processing industry with 80 exhibitors will have a strong representation at the B2B meet. SMEs from handlooms, textiles and garments, rubber, wood-based industries, Ayurveda, herbal and cosmetics, engineering with electrical and electronics as well as traditional sectors will also participate.
