Coffee & samba to spice up expo – Organisers expect Brazil to be big draw at February fair in Guwahati

The Chinese stall at the International Guwahati Trade Fair last year

Guwahati, Dec. 16: Brazil is bringing coffee and samba to the land of tea and Bihu.

The presence of a trade delegation from Brazil at the 13th edition of the International Guwahati Trade Fair, the biggest trade and commerce exposition in this part of the country, is expected to add extra zing to the annual event. The fair will be held at the Institute of Engineers Field at Chandmari from February 20 next year.

Rajesh Das of the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) revealed today that the ambassador of the Latin American country, one of the largest coffee producers in the world, might attend the fair as a special guest. Apart from different varieties of ground coffee and coffee beans, Brazil is likely to give residents of Guwahati a samba experience they will not forget.

“We are trying to get samba dancers for our cultural functions during the days of the fair. The idea is to create a Brazilian ambience,” Das said.

He quoted the trade officer at the Brazilian Embassy in New Delhi, Orlando Costa, as saying that Brazil was keen to expand trade ties with eastern India because of the strategic importance of the region as the gateway to the Southeast Asian countries.

Appropriately, the theme for the expo is Connecting Guwahati Globally.

Nine countries, including Malayasia, China, Thailand, Pakistan and Iran — have confirmed their participation and talks are on with officials of the Netherlands for a Dutch pavilion.

Malaysia will be participating in the event for the first time, while Thailand is the “partner country”.

“A large contingent of traders from Thailand will display and sell a vast array of exquisite products never seen before in this part of the country,” ITFAA president Jatin Hazarika said.

Netherlands ambassador Eric E. Niche visited the fair last year. The vice-mayor of Baoshan city in Yunan province of China was also here with a 19-member trade delegation.

Hazarika said the Northeast Unlimited pavilion at the forthcoming event would showcase the region’s richness in tourist spots, tea, natural gas and oil, ethnic fabrics, forest produce and cottage industries. “Ever since its inception, this mega event has evolved into eastern India’s largest show of its kind. It provides a window to the broad spectrum of industrial progress against a global background.”

Nearly 400 companies will put up stalls at the expo.

One of the major attractions last year was a performance by Rahul Vaidya and Prajakta Sukre, two of the finalists of the television reality show Indian Idol.