Trade fair 2011: Vibrant Afghanistan pavilion steals the show.

[Poseidon]

Nikita Puri New Delhi, November 15, 2011 | UPDATED 15:51 IST
Trade fair 2011: Vibrant Afghanistan pavilion steals the show.
Afghan pavilion
The trade fair includes exhibits from China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Egypt.


The mention of Kabul often conjures up fleeting images of cold winters, rich dry fruits, opium fields, Hosseini's The Kite Runner and of course, the Taliban. A crucial stop on the Silk Route, Afghanistan, often in news for the wrong reasons, is the cynosure of all eyes at the 31 edition of the India International Trade Fair 2011, which was kicked off by Union minister of finance Pranab Mukherjee at Pragati Maidan on Monday.

The annual mega trade fair, which has both B2B and B2C components, is a one-stop shop for everything from electronic appliances to winter essentials and accessories. But the Afghan pavilion, which won the gold in 2010 for the most-visited pavilion, seems to be determined to earn the honour this year too.

This year the path to the award seems to be an agri-based one. Tasmim Asey, director and senior policy advisor, Afghan ministry of agriculture, said, "We have been actively participating in the trade fair since 2006, and this year onwards, we have decided to move from inputs to processing. We see India as a potential market for our agricultural products. Kabuli nuts and Kandhari wool have found a huge market in the past in India and by establishing new business ties in the country we hope to export high quality fresh fruits, concentrates and juices."

Giant pomegranates were drawing visitors to the pavilion titled The Pride of Afghanistan. Besides the red edible beauties, other fruits that promise the Indian market a whole new taste and flavour are the Afghan apples, water melons, mulberries, apricots and musk melons. Besides fresh juice, you could also try the fresh fruit pulp introduced this year.

For those wanting to stock up on dry fruits for the coming winter, the Afghan pavilion has rows of tempting dried apricots, almonds, abjosh raisins and figs. Hand-woven woollen carpets dyed with juice extracted from pomegranates, walnuts and wood are another exotic attraction with loyalists thronging to the Turkistan carpet and rug corner. Rare semi-precious stone Lapis lazuli mined from the Afghan areas bordering China, warm waistcoats, exquisite jewellery and soft Afghan cotton kurtas with intricate hand embroidery are major draws, too.

Organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation, the fair will be on till November 27 and has exhibits from countries, including China, Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan.

: Trade fair 2011: Vibrant Afghanistan pavilion steals the show : India News - India Today

 

[The Messiah]

I have passes for this.

 

[thakur_ritesh]

i rarely ever go for IITF, went in 07 and boy, will never to go back again. mad crowd and you wont know where to even keep your feet. mad house with mad people on lose!

 

[Rage]

I have passes for this.

How many days is it on for? And what, if your willing, are you trading them at?

I, for one, am willing to support Afghani produce. Afghan dry fruits and nuts have found huge business in India this year in Diwali. And Im teling you, I was not disappointed. Their carpets and marble have found crevice marketplaces in Guj and the North, especially in the luxury-housing sector.

Afghanistan is now growing at more than 8% and a little stability, investment and training, can reap big benefits in a place where there is very little competition. Once the US offensive in the South pushes the Taliban further into the hinterland of the Nimroz province, the Zaranj-Delaram highway, which now has a strategic section that runs thru Nimroz under Taliban control- and therefore trade on its route disrupted, has the potential to escalate India-Afghan trade three-fold. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it from here; and the ISAF has shown a reluctance to make it a priority-objective because of the diminished strategic value from their stand-point.

 

[The Messiah]

It says on my pass i can go between 14-27 november.

I have never been before so i dont much but i will have a look at every stall.

 

[agentperry]

you can sell anything in india even rubbish get sold out here. wrap well and there you go after cis this nation buys anything and everything. imported.huh people here put every imported stuff on same level be it from nepal or us

 

[The Messiah]

you can sell anything in india even rubbish get sold out here. wrap well and there you go after cis this nation buys anything and everything. imported.huh people here put every imported stuff on same level be it from nepal or us

Agreed.

imported = better according to majority of Indians.

 

[agentperry]

Agreed.

imported = better according to majority of Indians.

yes. typical mindset. imported hai..wow...nepal se imported hai...still wow.. India ka hai export quality..mujhe bewkuf samjha hai..huh..im not buying

 

[Sabir]

even if you want to go, never take your wife with you....telling from my experience..........

 

[Singh]

business hours end tomorrow. take some friends along.

 

[utubekhiladi]

even if you want to go, never take your wife with you....telling from my experience..........

why not? what happened

 

[mayfair]

why not? what happened

Dilli hai bhai.

Samjahdaar ko ishaara hi kaafi.

For the record, I went to the IITF about 11 years ago (when I was a student at University of Delhi South Campus) with my classmates that included girls. We did not have to face the typical Dilliwaala behaviour.

But then we were all Dilliwaalas ourselves and the girls knew how to deal with such situations. It may also have helped that we avoided the most crowded pavilions such as the one that hosted full scale models and information about the then upcoming Delhi Metro.

 

[The Messiah]

I think sabir meant something else ? something to do with spending ?

 

[mayfair]

I think sabir meant something else ? something to do with spending ?

In that case, my apologies for jumping the gun.

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Dilli hai bhai.

Samjahdaar ko ishaara hi kaafi.

For the record, I went to the IITF about 11 years ago (when I was a student at University of Delhi South Campus) with my classmates that included girls. We did not have to face the typical Dilliwaala behaviour.

But then we were all Dilliwaalas ourselves and the girls knew how to deal with such situations. It may also have helped that we avoided the most crowded pavilions such as the one that hosted full scale models and information about the then upcoming Delhi Metro.

11 years ago IITF used to be heaven to what it has turned out to be now.

these days everyday they talk about "record-breaking" crowd, and the weekends are the worst.

if someone has a pass or is willing to pay for the business hours, thats the only time to step in.

 

[The Messiah]

In that case, my apologies for jumping the gun.

Dont worry us dilliwaalas understand