Cuttack: As the historic Bali Jatra festival came to an end at Odisha’s Cuttack on Tuesday, traders were stated to have made a roaring business during the annual event which drew a heavy footfall this year.
Initially scheduled for eight days, the open-air trade fair was extended by the state government by one day following a request by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).
According to sources, the ORMAS which had set up 470 stalls, including 30 food outlets, at its national-level Pallishree Mela, recorded sales amounting to Rs 36 crore by the end of the day. The Pallishree Mela had reportedly registered total sale proceeds of Rs 24.56 crore last year.
While the sales figures hovered around Rs 150 crore in 2022, it was believed to have touched Rs 200 crore this year, sources said.
Entrepreneurs of different women self-help and producer groups from different parts of the state put up stalls showcasing a wide range of rural ethnic products. The exhibits included handicrafts, handloom, spices, organic rice, coconut oil, kalajeera rice, Keonjhar badi, Ganjam’s pickle and sugar free rice.
This apart, artisans from 22 states, including Punjab, Haryana, Manipur, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi had also participated by showcasing various products ranging from handloom, terracotta, Kashmiri shawls, bamboo crafts and traditional jewellery.
Major attractions at the fair were products prepared from millets and jute, Kandhamal haldi, Cuttack’s Maniabandha saree, Manipuri handloom, terracotta and horn crafts of West Bengal and non-timber forest produces (NTFP) like brooms, spices and honey.
Among the new additions were the ‘Cuttack-in-Cuttack’ pavilion replicating life in a rural setup, digital exhibition in an air-conditioned hanger and tunnel aquarium set up on the lower Baliyatra ground which attracted s large number of visitors this time.
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