Awestruck visitors thronged the National Jute Fair on Wednesday which is being held to promote jute products and to create a platform for marketing jute products by self help groups.
The fair is organised as part of the National Jute Board's (NJB) promotional activity and to create awareness among the general public regarding eco-friendly alternative products for use in home and offices.
According to NJB officials, the Indian Jute sector, comprising jute mills and a large number of small units is the world's largest and biggest producer of raw jute and jute goods.
Entrepreneurs from different parts of the country are participating in this fair, exhibiting huge variety of environment friendly consumer products.
The five-day long festival includes various events like exhibitions, interactive meets, buyers-sellers meet and live demonstrations.
Eco friendly jute dolls, fancy bags, shopping bags, gift items, wall hangings, home textiles, floor coverings are some of the products displayed at the fair.
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"Earlier, only white jute was available. There was no colour in it. Now the jute industry has developed and colourful jute is also available. Different things are being made with jute, including shoes, bags, fashion accessories, wallets, as well as nice bags made of cloth and jute. Jute industry is developing steadily. There is a lot of growth in this industry," said Purabi Bhuyan, a textile student.
Nearly 20 stalls are participating in the fair from all over.
Several lifestyle jute products such as handicraft and handloom materials, dolls, fancy jute bags, shopping bags, gift articles, wall hangings, footwear, floor coverings and artificial jewelleries are on the display cum sale
Women and girls were seen splurging upon fancy handbags and shopping bags. Hand purses, wallets, pen stands and several handicraft products were purchased aplenty on the first day.
A Self Help Group (SHG) worker, Nubanu Begum, felt that the government should take some promote the Jute Industry.
"There is a lot of demand for jute products in Assam and other places in India. Production of jute takes place in Assam. The government gives training but it should hold more jute exhibitions to promote the jute industry as well as for its marketing", Begum said.
Assam produces large quantity of jute and the quality is best one with natural golden colour. The awareness about the demand of jute products are growing among SHG, and more people are getting attracted to work with Jute products.