President to open Shilpa-2010

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The four day Shilpa-2010 National exhibition and trade fair with 156 stalls will be open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre today, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry Secretary P. Sivagnanasothy said.

Addressing a press conference at the Information Department yesterday, he said the exhibition would pave way to local and international markets for the local producers who will not only exhibit their products but also the production process as well.

There will be handcraft products from all parts of the country on display. It would be a good opportunity to buy products from the exhibition itself which will also become a sales outlet. Both the public and the producers would benefit from the exhibition as there will be no middlemen involved, he said.

Items on sale will be for all age groups. There will be toys for children, new innovations for used in limited space, new designs for women's wear, ornaments and jewellery, attractively designed walking sticks for elderly and educational material for young entrepreneurs and school leavers.

He said, this exhibition is an eye opener to unemployed youth to start self employment in different fields. Shilpa-2010 would bring social integration and contribute to the national economy. It also exposes the Ministry's different sectors where training, guidance and financial and other assistance provided to new comers to the small scale enterprise and handicrafts.