Vyapar 2022 concludes; hosts 2,417 B2B meets worth Rs 105-crore business

Kochi, June 18: The three-day Vyapar 2022 drew to a close today with the Kerala government’s pioneering event in the MSME sector facilitating trade deals worth Rs 105 crore at 2,417 business-to-business meets.

A total of 330 buyers clinched pacts with 324 sellers from across the country at the successful event organized in the city by Kerala Department of Industries and Commerce.

The June 16-18 conclave in suburban Kaloor will be followed up by an array of virtual meets next week, organisers said after the conclusion of Vyapar 2022 which sought to boost the state’s pandemic-hit MSME units by providing them a platform to showcase their products and technological competence.

The meet had focused on seven key economic sectors. Of these, the most number of business deals were struck in food-processing and Ayurveda, followed by handlooms and textiles, according to organisers. The event at JLN International Stadium Ground featured 331 stalls, which were open to the general public on the concluding day.

The B2B meets held on the first two days of the event generated a potential business of Rs 105,19,42,500, revealed officials with Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-bip), which coordinated Vyapar 2022. Of the 324 sellers, 15 were government agencies.

The event yet again highlighted the eminence and popularity of Kerala’s food items and traditional wellness system, organisers said. The virtual meets slated to be held towards the end of next week will further cement the business deals, they added.

Vyapar 2022, which was inaugurated by Minister for Law, Industries and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve on Thursday, saw the convergence of representatives of all-India trade and commercial organisations, business consortiums, e-commerce executives, exporters, consumers, and buyers from top commercial establishments. The final day saw a steady rise in the crowds at the stalls, as the event was open to the public for nine hours till 8 p.m.

An expo at the event exhibited the MSME products, branded and otherwise. The seven focal sectors were food processing (food and spices); handlooms, textiles and garments (fashion design and furnishing products); rubber; coir products; Ayurveda and herbal (cosmetics and nutraceuticals); electrical and electronics; and traditional sectors that include hand-carved goods, handloom textiles and bamboo-based items.

An interesting feature of the event was the impressive presence of women entrepreneurs who set up 65 out of the 331 exhibition stalls to showcase a range of products and their business acumen to attract the attention of domestic buyers and global e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Flipkart.

 

Selfie robot attracts a long queue at Vyapar

Kochi, June 16: Kerala Minister for Law, Industries and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve had a pleasant surprise at Vyapar 2002 today when a robot at the business-to-business meet invited him for a photo and came up with its print in 30 seconds after the click. An amused minister, who was impressed with the ‘selfie robot’, went ahead with his round of the stalls at JLN International Stadium Ground before inaugurating the three-day event being organised chiefly by the Department of Industries and Commerce.

“Let’s take a selfie together,” was how the robot greeted the minister, who then posed for an image and got its printout in half-a-minute. “Very prompt,” exclaimed Shri Rajeeve. “Excellent clarity, too.”

The four-foot-tall device subsequently saw curious delegates at Vyapar 2022 lining up for images. The white-coloured machine was developed by Bengaluru-based Robot Entertainment India, which is into robotics and animatronics.

“Typically, our models blend a solid paleontological research, advanced robotic technology and fine art-work,” says Kishore Kumar, founder CEO of the two-decade-old company. “Our typical clients comprise museums, science centres, amusement parks, FECs, zoos, resorts, cruise lines, schools, restaurants and retail outlets. We also get invited for community fairs, and event-planners. All Robots for permanent installations are made-to-order.”

The selfie robot has become a cynosure at Vyapar 2022, with the delegates queuing up for a quick image from the printer attached to the computer-fed device.

Lingaraj B., a volunteer with Robot Entertainment at Vyapar 2022, reveals that the first 100 selfies on the inaugural day were given for free. “From then on, we are charging Rs 20 a copy.” Adds his colleague Nagendra Prasad: “Instant photo in print is the USP of this device.”

Vyapar 2022 is open to the public on June 18 (Saturday) from 2 p.m.

 

Kerala Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve being greeted by the 'selfie robot' ahead of clicking an instant image at Vyapar 2022 in JLN Stadium Ground in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. Flanking him are Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar and Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore.

 

'Vyapar 2022' started in Kochi'

Kochi, June 16: Kerala is surging towards meeting its target of setting up one lakh MSMEs in the current financial year, with 13,137 enterprises in the micro, small and medium sector already registering in the first two-and-a-half months of FY 2022-23, Minister for Law, Industries and Coir Shri P. Rajeeve said today.

 “This has brought in an investment of Rs 982.73 crore so far this fiscal, giving employment to 30,698 people,” he said after inaugurating the state government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet in the city, setting the stage for 350 entrepreneurs to strike partnerships with 500 buyers from across the country.

Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve lights the lamp at Vyapar 2022, inaugurating the Kerala government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet at Kaloor in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. Flanking him are Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore, KINFRA MD Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Kerala State Small Industries Association President M. Khalid and K-bip CEO Suraj S.

Facilitating around 10,000 B2B meetings, the June 16-18 event will boost the administration’s renewed pro-industry measures to project Kerala as a prime business destination before the rest of the country, the Minister noted at the event, being organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce, at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium Ground.

 Sustained efforts to strengthen MSMEs have led to recruitment of 1,155 interns at the panchayat level to train entrepreneurs. “A chunk of them are MBAs,” he revealed.

Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve speaks after inaugurating Kerala government's Vyapar 2022 business-to-business meet at Kaloor in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. Sitting, from left:  K-bip CEO Suraj S, Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, KINFRA MD Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore, Kerala State Small Industries Association President M. Khalid and FICCI Kerala State Council Chairman Deepak L. Aswan.

Pointing out that two recent laws have quickened the setting up of MSMEs in Kerala, the minister said KINFRA is working on a permanent exhibition-cum-convention centre in the city. Envisaged to be completed in October 2023, the project is coming up in suburban Kakkanad, he added. Kochi Mayor Shri M. Anilkumar, in his presidential address, said a positive change of approach of the stakeholders can revolutionise the MSME sector in the state.

 Industries and Commerce Director Shri S. Harikishore, welcoming the gathering, said Kerala was poised to realise its target of giving employment to four lakh people in the MSME sector.  KINFRA MD Shri Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Kerala State Small Industries Association President Shri M. Khalid and FICCI Kerala State Council Chairman Shri Deepak L. Aswani also spoke. Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-bip) CEO Shri Suraj S. proposed thanks.

Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve cuts the ribbon at Vyapar 2022, the Kerala government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet, at Kaloor in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. Flanking him are Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar and Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore; behind are KINFRA MD Santhosh Koshy Thomas and FICCI Kerala State Council Chairman Deepak L. Aswani.

 A major objective of Vyapar 2022, which will be open to the public on Saturday (June 18) from 2 pm, is to give an impetus to the pandemic-hit MSME units. The event provides them a platform to showcase the quality of their products, technological competence and skills before the industrial community. Besides buyers from top commercial establishments, representatives of all-India trade and commercial organisations, business consortiums, e-commerce executives, exporters and consumers are converging at the conclave to make business deals.

An expo at the event exhibits the productivity of industry, presenting the products that are branded or otherwise. It also aims to encourage industries to boost their growth profile, kindle the interest of investors and highlight the role of MSMEs in the state’s economic growth.

The focal sectors are food processing (food and spices); handlooms, textiles and garments (fashion design and furnishing products); rubber; coir products; Ayurveda and herbal (cosmetics and nutraceuticals); electrical and electronics; and traditional sectors that include hand-carved goods, handloom textiles and bamboo-based items.

Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve visits a stall at Vyapar 2022, the Kerala government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet, at Kaloor in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. Flanking him are Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore.

Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve visits a stall at Vyapar 2022, the Kerala government’s three-day ‘Vyapar 2022’ business-to-business meet, at Kaloor in Kochi on June 16, Thursday. To his left is Industries and Commerce Director S. Harikishore.

 

Two portals for entrepreneurial empowerment

The Directorate of Industries and Commerce launched two online portals for the entrepreneurial empowerment of Kerala viz Grievances Redressal registration portal and Private Industrial Estate portal.

Grievances Redressal Portal

The investors who wish to start new projects may face several challenges. They have to go through window of various departments and agencies during their journey for the materialization of the venture.

To hear their grievances and settle them, there are two platforms created.

In the district level forum, the complaints of the projects with the capital investment up to 5 crores will be heard. If the investment is more than 5 crores, the entrepreneurs can approach the state level forum.

The appeals against  the district level committee can be submitted before the state level committee.

Private Industrial Estate portal

The Private Industrial Estate scheme envisages creation of more employment opportunity by way of developing areas/estate suitable in private land for the purpose of establishing more industrial enterprises across the state in an easy to do business environment. The state suffers from the scarcity of industrial land and the demand is soaring up. The minimum extent of land for developing a Private Industrial Estate is 10 acres and for establishing a Standard Design Factory is five acres. The land proposed should not fall under ESA /CRZ/ / Paddy Land /Wet Land.

Entities owning and possessing a minimum of 10 acres of land shall apply online to obtain the Private Industrial Estate Developer Permit. If the Private Industrial Estate is proposed in an extent of land above 15 acres exemption under KLR Act 1963 will be granted by Government.

 

Entrepreneurial subsidy upto 40 lakhs

The department of Industries and Commerce declared revised subsidy for new MSMEs to encourage the entry of young talented entrepreneurs to the arena of Industry. The new project will be given up to 15 % subsidy of the fixed capital Investment.

These who seek assistance of financial institution as loan will be given subsidy at 50% (maximum up to 3 lakhs). As per the new entrepreneurial assistance, the general category gets 15% subsidy (upto 30 lakhs) and the SC, ST, Women and young entrepreneurs get 25% subsidy (upto 40 lakhs). The new ventures from backward districts viz, Kazargod, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad, Iduki will get on additional assistance up to 10% (maximum 10 lakhs). The same package will be given to those who acquired technical knowhow from recognised institution by State and Central Government. All the Capital Investment like land, buildings, machinery, power generating system are eligible for the scheme.