From makers of eco-friendly leaf plates and grass products and potteries with ceramic works to airport developers and multinational firms, everyone is getting business opportunities at Uttar Pradesh's first-ever International Trade Show.
     President Droupadi Murmu had inaugurated the UP ITS 2023 at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on September 21 in presence of state's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a bevy of ministers from his cabinet. The event is scheduled to end on Monday.
     More than 70,000 business-to-business buyers from 70 countries have registered for the trade show, and over 2,000 exhibitors have put up stalls at the ITS which has witnessed thousands of visitors, according to officials.
     In one of the 15 halls of the Mart, there is a stall of Artisan Handicrafts Impex that procures eco-friendly bowls and plates made of leaves and products like coasters, containers made of 'Moonj' (a perennial grass that grows near river banks and also known as Sarpata or Sarkanda) by women self-help groups across Uttar Pradesh.
     Sangeeta Sharma who runs Artisan Impex said she gives rural women design training to make these products which were traditionally used in India and are environment-friendly.
     "We don't use wood and there is no carbon emission. Every product is unique since all are handmade. They are also lightweight and easy to use. We are trying to go back to our traditional, eco-friendly lives. The new generation discarded it and moved on to plastic, but we have seen the havoc created by it," Sharma told PTI.
     Traditional craftsmanship in various forms such as brass utensils of Moradabad, wooden toys of Varanasi, cricket bats from Meerut, and clay utensils of Azamgarh are also attracting entrepreneurs.
     At the same time, stakeholders from real estate, hospitality and healthcare, and government agencies are also making their presence felt.
     "We have not been to any event of this scale. The District Industrial Council is motivating businesses like ours. It's helpful and convenient for us to find a platform to showcase our products directly to exporters," said Shorya Jain of Raizon Creations Culturway, which has put on display the famous woodwork of Saharanpur.
     His partner Ashish Panwar agreed, saying their experience so far at the event has been good and they were hoping to connect with exporters.
     Another exhibitor Shalabh Singhania of R K Potteries has brought the popular ceramic works of Khurja, Bulandshahr to the mega trade show.
     "I have been in this business since 1991 and I can tell you that this is a good exposure for our products. I have been to places like Mumbai also for exhibitions but this is the first time here in UP at this scale," he said.
     Singhania added that he was yet to connect with domestic wholesale buyers, although a lot of retail buyers have already contacted him for business.
     Dom L Subang, who has reached the UP ITS from Davao City in the Philippines, said his SF Group of Companies has come to find collaboration opportunities in the field of artificial intelligence.
     "My work is related to the agriculture sector and I am looking to connect with someone for AI collaboration for the growth of my business in my home," Subang told PTI.
     He said many businesses in his country import products and services from China but are now looking at India for collaborations.
     "Indian products and services come with two important factors with them – quality and affordability," Subang, who was part of a 20-member delegation from the Philippines, said.
     Christoph Schnellman, the CEO of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG which is developing the Noida International Airport, said he was overwhelmed by the size and the diversity of the exhibitors.
     "I think it's a real testament to the dynamism and the vibrancy of the economy in UP," Schnellman told PTI.
     He said he was convinced that the Noida International Airport will make "a big, big difference" and will contribute massively to the further growth and development of this economy across the entire broad cross-section.
     "We feel very much at home and a part of this economic growth in the state of UP," he added.