US cos interested in Nepali handicraft products

KATHMANDU, Aug 19 :

Many US suppliers, including Wal-Mart, have shown keen interest toward Nepali handircraft.

According to Shyam Prasad Giri, senior vice president of Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI), executives of Wal-Mart visited an expo of Nepali handmade products organized in Philadelphia of USA and asked for 5,000 meter of cloths made from Allo fiber.
“We, however, could not take the order as it was beyond our capacity,” Giri said at a press meet here on Sunday.

Eight representatives of seven cottage and small industries of Nepal had displayed their products in the exhibition with the aim to explore the US market for the traditional Nepali products. The expo organized by the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center was held from July 21 to 24.
The Nepali entrepreneurs returned on August 3, taking order for products worth US $25,000 from different US companies.

“We were overwhelmed by the number of visitors in the expo along with the interests of US supply chains,” Suresh Pradhan, chairman of FNCSI, said at the press meet.
The entrepreneurs had flown to US on their own expenses to promote traditional Nepali handicrafts, natural fiber products, and hand-knotted carpet, among others. They also promoted felt products, Pashmina, ladies fashionable wear, handicraft, Nepali arts and Thanka.
“Though we sold some products to the visitors, we faced problems as we didn´t have buy-back guarantee,” Giri said.

Shova Gurung, chairman of Central Women Entrepreneur´s Committee, said Nepali entrepreneurs have to focus more on quality control and packaging. “We are holding discussion on delivery of products and methods of making payment,” she said.
FNCSI has identified markets in around a dozen US cities for Nepali products.
Arjun Kant Mainali, first secretary of Nepali Embassy in USA, had coordinated Nepal´s participation in the event.

Source: Republica