Date:03/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/03/stories/2007090356091700.htm

Business

State business fete to tap Indian markets

Staff Reporter

150 business groups from the country to participate

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A seven-day ‘Kerala business festival’, being arranged by Indian World Wide Chamber of Commerce in Chennai from September 23, will focus on entrepreneurs from within the country.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Chamber Advisory Board Chairman A.V. Anoop and President Baiju Gopalan said over 150 business groups from across the country had already confirmed participation in the programme, christened ‘Medimix Kerala Fest 2007’.

They said the Chamber, an affiliate of the World Malayali Council (WMC), was organising this business festival to create and tap business opportunities in Kerala. “Usually such business meets target Malayalis settled abroad. But there are large number of Malayali entrepreneurs and prospective investors who are now based in other States. This festival is primarily focussing on them.” “For example, about 20 lakh Malayalis are settled in Tamil Nadu. Many of them are looking for a base and a proper residential space in Kerala after retirement. Kerala-based builders can use the business festival as an opportunity to tap this huge market,” Dr. Anoop and Mr. Gopalan said.

The exhibition to be arranged as part of the festival will have about 300 stalls to enable manufacturers, builders and traders from different sectors in the State to showcase their products, according to K.S. Nathan, coordinator of the programme and State General secretary of the WMC.

Prominent personalities from different fields are expected to give presentations at various conference sessions. Business promoters from within the country and abroad as well as representatives from sectors like export and import firms, tourism units, realtors, financial institutions, education institutions and from the Government Departments are likely to participate in the programme.

Book festival

One of the highlights of the festival is a massive exhibition of Malayalam books by different publishers. Over three lakh books from various publishers would be on display. The organisers would meet the entire expenditure including the cost of transportation of books as well as travel expenses of the staff of the publishers, according to Sukumaran who is coordinating the book fair.

Many leading writers and social activists would attend the discussions and seminars being arranged as part of the book fair, Mr. Sukumaran said.