Textiles ministry to hold buyer-seller meet

MALEGAON: The ministry of textiles will for the first time host a two-day buyer-seller meet from June 25 in the city, a move that will boost the efforts of the textile commissioner's office, in association with Malegaon Industries' & Manufacturers' Association (MIMA), for creating 'Brand Malegaon'.
"The ministry of textiles, through its regional office, Navi Mumbai, is hosting a two-day buyer-seller meet at Aishwariya Mangal Karyalay in Malegaon on June 25 and 26.Though the ministry organises such meetings at various textile clusters at regular intervals, this is the first time that such an event is being organised in Malegaon", technical officer Durga Prasad Sharma said.
"The event, to be inaugurated by additional collector Raghunath Gawade, will be visited by top 50 buyers and exporters from places such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baramati, Sholapur and Surat," he added.
He said that the event was planned after textile commissioner Kiran Soni Gupta visited Malegaon on May 31, and announced a series of initiatives for the development of Malegaon textile cluster.
According to Malegaon Industries' & Manufacturers' Association (MIMA), on whose request Kiran Soni Gupta had visited Malegaon, she was surprised by the absence of local textile market despite a huge daily production and extinction of a 'Brand Malegaon' like other clusters.
"During her visit to Malegaon, the commissioner, though appreciated the skill and work of the weavers of Malegaon, expressed surprise that the city does not have a brand name", MIMA president Khurshid Ansari said.
He added that the commissioner had pledged to extend all support on the issue so that frequent fluctuation in rates is checked, a brand is created, the needed stability in the market is achieved and weavers earn extra profit. "The buyer-seller meet will play an important role in achieving the above targets", Ansari said.
The commissioner had on June 16 sent a five-member team of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to Malegaon. According to sources, the NIFT team is has already submitted its report to the commissioner.
Besides establishing a training centre under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme, the NIFT has reportedly recommended a yarn bank, common facility centre and an apparel and readymade garment park for Malegaon.