Increase domestic products for self-reliant economy: President Bhandari

KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 9:  President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pointed out the need to promote Nepali handcrafts in the international market .  She did so during a programme organized on the occasion of 19th handicrafts trade fair by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN)  here Friday.

"Currently, the excessive  dependency on foreign products is triggering a big trade deficit, threatening the overall well-being of the economic sector. This can also be corrected by promoting handicraft products in the international market,", she argued.

 On the occasion, Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Jivan Ram Shrestha, also stressed the need for reducing the trade deficit by increasing the exports of Nepali handicrafts to foreign countries.

Similarly, Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, Rajendra Prasad Pande, applauded the role played by the Federation for the promotion of handicrafts and called for policy-level reform regarding the expansion of their sales in the international market.

 There are four pavilions and some 130 stalls in the fair. Even the 17th handicrafts competition is running side by side. According to the Federation, the handicrafts worth Rs 12 billion are being exported to different 60 countries in a year. The total annual transaction of the handicraft is some 24 billion. Similarly, nearly 800 thousand people are involved in this business. ----