It was a bonanza of sorts for Co-optex as it was able to sell saris, shirts and other textile products worth Rs.3.60 crore in the last 25-day at the National Handlooms Expo 2012 held at Thillaiyadi Valliammai Complex in Egmore, said its Special Officer and Managing Director, Vijay Pingale on Monday.
Talking to The Hindu , he said the expo was visited by over four lakh people against three lakh people in the last edition. This year, Primary Weavers' Co-operative Societies made good use of it by selling their produce. They sold materials worth Rs.1.50 crore against Rs.82 lakh. Last year, the overall sales volume at the expo was Rs.3.05 crore.
According to a press release, the expo had 110 stalls that displayed some of the finest collections in cotton and silk from all over the country. Over 600 varieties of cotton and silk saris from different parts of the State and from many other Indian States were on display.
Visitors had a chance to lay their hands on traditional Pochampalli, Venkatagiri and Mangalgiri prints from Andhra Pradesh, printed saris from Jaipur, Bandhani from Gujarat, Bengal cotton saris, Chantheri saris from Madhya Pradesh, Kashmiri silk shawls, furnishing material, towels and dress materials.
Taking part in the concluding function of the National Expo, Handlooms and Textiles Minister Sundararaj said to take on the private players, efforts would be taken to modernise all Co-optex showrooms in the country and to open new showrooms in the major cities.
The Minister distributed prizes to the Primary Weavers' Co-operative Society within the State for recording highest sales; State Apex Co-operative Marketing Society; Weavers Co-operative Society outside the State; and for best display.
