Khadi and village industry fair brings rural goods to the city

The ongoing exhibition of goods produced by khadi and village industry units from across Tamil Nadu and other States, being held at Makkal Mandram, Thillai Nagar, offers shoppers a wide range of options of both gift items and daily utilities

The ongoing exhibition of goods produced by khadi and village industry units from across Tamil Nadu and other States, being held at Makkal Mandram, Thillai Nagar, offers shoppers a wide range of options of both gift items and daily utilities.

The week-long fair was inaugurated on Wednesday by District Collector M. Pradeep Kumar. It features over 30 stalls helmed by vendors from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)-approved Sarvodaya Sangh and Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) from places such as Tiruchi, Namakkal, Thanjavur and Chennai.

“Due to a resurgent interest among consumers for natural and herbal products, we have a good market for our readymix items such as ‘chukku coffee’ and date jam. We source our goods from Ambasamudram and Gandhigramam,” Krishnamoorthy from Vellakovil Sarvodaya Sangh told The Hindu.

Handloom towels, dhotis, saris and shirts are among the goods on sale at the fair.

Chennai-based Mariyam Handicraft Marketing founder Zareena Begum said that customised jute stationery and bags were being ordered in large numbers as they were an eco-friendly alternative to paper and plastic material. “I started out with a women’s self-help group and then established my own business in jute bags. The exposure and training given by KVIC has helped me find customers across the State,” she said.

Black clay pottery is the main attraction of Prema Kalai Koodam. “The distinctive colour is got by baking the pots for a longer time in the kiln than the usual red terracotta utensils. We have units in Namakkal and Thanjavur,” said proprietor S. Prema.

The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m, and is scheduled to end on January 12.