August 16, 2000
KATHMANDU: Nepalese carpet exporters are going to display 24 carpets made from British and Tibetan wool at the Harrogate Floor Coverings Fair in the UK on 5-7 September. Harrogate is Britain’s biggest carpet fair.
The venture is being sponsored by the British Wool Marketing Board (NWMB), which donated 400 kg of British wool to the Nepalese manufacturers. The wool was distributed to manufacturers following the drawing with varying proportions of Tibetan wool, and has been woven into carpets. The BWMB will display these.
The British Embassy, the BWMB, the Nepal Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the central Carpet Industries Association have met at regular intervals at the British Embassy, together with the carpet manufactuers. The planning and preparation has included a website to market and promote the carpets www dot nepalcarpets-UK don com, a power point presentation to be delivered by representatives of the CCIA, NBCCI and Embassy in Harrogate.
Nepal’s carpet export to different countries amounted to 142 million US$ in the fiscal year 1999-2000 and it has a major contribution in the Nepalese economy. Nepalese exporters are hopeful that their participation in the fair would open up new market avenues. Minister for Commerce and Industry, Ram Krishna Tamrakar inaugurated the promotional mission to the UK for Nepalese carpets woven from British wool on 8 August. Minister Tamrakar said “Nepal is looking forward to produce wool with the help of the British government,”. According to him Nepalese carpet manufacturers are one of the major contributors to the foreign exchange reserve in Nepal. Being hopeful, he said “Nepalese carpet will attract large foreign customers at the Harrogate fair.”
The British Ambassador to Nepal, Ronald P. Nash said, “this is a classic example of co-operation in action and the BWMB has been exceptionally helpful in donating the wool and providing the stand at Harrogate.” He wished the team every success at Harrogate and hoped that this will open the door to sustained, long term exports of Nepalese carpets to Britain, and sustained long term imports of British wool to Nepal. According to him the efforts of the CCIA, NBCCI and Embassy in producing this comprehensive promotional strategy is admirable. He also said that after the fair closes, the collection will be kept for subsequent international display.
The president of NBCCI, Rajendra K. Khetan expressed the view that a dedicated Web-site has been developed as a part of a brochure which will provide all information about the carpets, its manufacturers and the carpet industry of Nepal in general. According to him to promote the British wool in Nepal and also to increase export of Nepalese carpets in the U.K., the project had been undertaken. President of the Central Carpet Industries Association (CCIA), A.G. Sherpa said that the collaborative efforts of the NBCCI and CCIA should be given continuity in order to promote Nepalese carpets in Britain as well as other countries. He also said that British wool is very good to use to produce high quality carpets. General secretary of NBCCI, A.K. Sengupta also expressed his view on the occasion.