Featuring famous Bhadohi carpets & much more, CPEC's carpet expo to return to Lucknow this October

In order to boost the carpet industry of Uttar Pradesh, the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) has planned on organising a national and international level carpet fair in Lucknow, this October. Notably, the fair will be taking place after a gap of two consecutive years due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in India in March 2020. With this the CEPC aims to provide a platform to handmade carpet products of the state, in a bid to meet their global demand in the times of COVID.

Carpet Expo Mart- a boon for UP's carpet industry

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The carpet industry plays a pivotal part in augmenting the economy of Bhadohi, Varanasi and Mirzapur. Reportedly, more than 1,500 registered companies are involved in the creation and export of carpets in these three districts. Strikingly, more than 2 lakh weavers and around 10 lakh families in Bhadohi and Varanasi are linked with this industry.

Ever since the launch of the Carpet Expo Mart, the demand for Bhadohi carpets has grown manifold globally. Launched in view of export enhancement of the carpet sector, this mart has been succesful in attracting various foreign tourists. Interestingly, the carpet mart in Bhadohi is the largest one of its kind across the country. With features meant to attract international buyers, the mart is equipped with a fireproof kitchen, a grand meeting hall, and is air-conditioned centrally as well.

Apart from infusing a fresh life to the globally acclaimed carpet industry of Bhadohi, the Carpet Expo Mart has acted as a boon to the artisans and producers of handwoven carpets in other UP districts as well. As the mart now aids with the marketing and promotion of the products, the headache of taking the carpets to bigger cities like Delhi no longer worries the creators.

US, Germany & Japan biggest importers of carpets from UP!

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Talking about the opportunities created by the CEM, Firoz Waziri, a carpet trader said that even during the COVID-crisis, the carpet industry was not affected much as orders kept coming from abroad. Notably, In 2019-20, the carpet industry of UP had exported carpets worth ₹3,704.05 crores. However, the carpet industry marked a spike of over four hundred crores by exporting carpets worth ₹4,108.37 crores in the financial year 2020-21.

While the main contributor to the list of exporters is the United States of America, Germany and Japan are also consistent in importing these carpets. Apart from this, the demand for carpets has also increased in Indian states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, added Firoz Waziri.

Persian carpets dominate the foreign carpet industry!

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According to those who are involved in this business, this mart has also helped in increasing the sales of Persian carpets. Touted to be the most expensive carpets in the world, Persian carpets have single-handedly dominated the foreign carpet industry by accounting for 10% of the total export made abroad. Going by the claims of experts, Persian carpets were first made by the people from Iran, some 250 years ago, which was later initiated in Bhadohi as well.

-with inputs from IANS