Kathmandu, December 14:

Curioes were price from rs 3000 to Rs 12000 in the Small and Cottage Industries Festival-2065 and National Industrial Exhibition at Bhrikuti Mandap here but that didn’t deter buyers, said Padam Bahadur Biswakarma who came from Sindhupalchowk to participate in the fair. “In three stalls, sales were brisk,” he said.

“We are satisfied with our participation in the festival as we came across many customers and got great feedback,” said Ramesh Shrestha, owner of Garden Thread Industries.

“Small and cottage industrialists from far off districts like Darchula, Achham, Mustang, Sankhuwasabha, and Okhaldunga have come with their best items,” said Tara Nidhi Pokhrel, Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) official.

Participant Krishna Bahadur Joshi of Woolen, Cotton Garments and Allo Cloth Industry from Darchula said, “This festival was a chance for to us interact with customers and exporters.”

Pesal Khatiwada from Okhaldunga, exhibiting items made from bamboo and Raadipakhi, said, “We are specially focused on bamboo and Raadipakhi products like teacups, boxes, mirror set, briefcases, and decorative items. Around 2000 people visited our stall.”

The fair, organised every Mangsir by FNCSI to promote items made in cottage and small-scale industries, will be on till December 15.

The aim is to promote items made in rural areas and bridge the gap between buyers and sellers. The festival has participation of people from more than 60 districts.

It has 135 stalls and at least 2 lakh people are expected to visit the fair. Traditional handicrafts, wooden, stone, metal and ceramics utensils, carpets, Allo lokta, bamboo and jute products of different varieties are on display in the five-day industry festival.