Spot India 2003: Asia''s first-ever sports goods and toys fair

New Delhi: India's ministry of commerce, the nodal ministry for promotion of trade in sports goods, in association with Sports Goods Export Promotion Council (SGEPC) and the Toy Association of India is launching Spot India 2003, a highly specialised business-oriented fair to promote sports goods, outdoor leisure items, hobby items and toys from India to the world markets.

The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) will organise the fair from 13 to 16 October 2003 at Pragati Maidan here. More than 100 Indian companies are expected to exhibit their total range.

On this occasion D K Mittal, joint secretary, ministry of commerce and industry, and chairman, SGEPC, said: "Spot India 2003 will play a significant role in increasing India's share in the world market, which at present is insignificant. The event will be held concurrently with the autumn edition of the Indian Handicrafts and Gift Fair (IHGF), so that the large number of business visitors to IHGF may also visit the new fair and transact business."

One of the highlights of the fair will be a theme pavilion to highlight the new product range to be developed in India for exports to world market. The National Institute of Design (NID) will set up the pavilion. The first-ever show on this theme is expected to generate an additional business of Rs 70 crore for the industry.

Spot India 2003 has been conceived as a specialised business-to- business fair and is concurrently being held with the most reputed and successful IHGF held twice a year at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The effectiveness of IHGF from the business point of view can be gauged from the fact the IHGF had 313 exhibitors in 1994 and 600 overseas business visitors.

In 2003, IHGF had 1,050 exhibitors and 4,300 overseas business visitors. Since many of the overseas business visitors to IHGF like departmental stores and chain stores will have interest in sports goods, toys and hobby items etc, Spot India 2003 will be a landmark in bringing the overseas buyers to India.

EPCH has already taken initiative on the overseas promotion of the fair. A database of more than 30,000 buyers and importers around the world has been targeted. EPCH has issued around 10,000 invitations to buyers, importers, agents, departmental stores, chain stores and retail stores in India. Work is in progress on a war footing to achieve the target of invitations to 30,000 effective business houses world over in the first year.

EPCH has also put up advertisements in the specialised trade magazines, banners on the relevant websites and posters in the industry and trade association flyers and brochures are being mailed to the identified target audience. Massive efforts being put in for overseas promotion will help in achieving the main objective of increasing trade and exports.

India has been exporting sports goods and toys to some select countries. The sports goods industry in India, which is mainly in the small-scale sector, has exported sports goods to the tune of Rs 260.87 crore in the year 2001-02 to the US, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

The main items of exports are inflatable balls (Rs 105.02 crore), protective equipment for cricket (Rs 25.16 crore), boxing equipment (Rs 22.88 crore), cricket bats (Rs 15.88 crore), hammocks (Rs 11.45 crore), golf balls (Rs 10.51 crore), carom board and chess (Rs 8.85 crore), fishing equipment (Rs 9.06 crore), cricket and hockey balls (Rs 6.21 crore) and others (Rs. 47.74 crore).

The main markets for this industry are the UK, the US, Australia, Germany, South Africa, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and Saudi Arabia. Exports in 1990-91 were of the order of Rs 66 crore. After 10 years, the exports have gone up to Rs 247.18 crore. During the last one year, there has been a growth of 5.54 per cent. The world market estimated around $80 billion and India's share insignificant needs proper marketing efforts.

The Indian toy industry, a highly labour-intensive and predominantly small-scale sector, has exported toys worth about Rs 140 crore in 2001-02 mainly to Germany, the US and countries in Europe and the Middle East. The main categories of toys exported are soft toys, dolls, plastic toys, educational toys, electronic and mechanical toys and games and puzzles. As per UN figures, the general trade in toys and games was around $73 billion in 1999.

It is estimated to grow to $125 billion by 2008. India's share in the global trade is only 0.04 per cent. Hong Kong, China and Taiwan account for 60 per cent of the global trade, followed by the US (9 per cent), Japan (8 per cent) and Germany (5 per cent). It is estimated that the expenditure on toys per child is $35 per month in the developed world. India, therefore, has to intensify its efforts to achieve a larger share of the world market.

In addition to sports goods and toys, India, of late, manufactures an excellent range of outdoor leisure items like camping equipment, tents and accessories, outdoor clothing, leisure footwear, sleeping bags, garden tools, beach requirements including furniture. An impressive range of hobby items like paper craft, fabric craft, needle craft, candle craft, art material and framing, metal and wire craft, doll making, doll houses, lamp and shade crafts, pens / markers / crayon, paints and colours / chalk / drawing material, wrapping and packing have also come up. These items need focussed and organised exposure for exports.

A large number of other product categories that have a sizeable overseas market also need to be highlighted for the benefit of Indians so that new product lines can be developed from India for exports. These new lines include product base hallow wear products, flashing party products, craft kits and activity sets, Easter decorations, party decorations, fancy dress and dressing up sets, carnival novelties, beach clothing and games.

These are only indicative names. There is a very large list of new product lines, which can be developed from India at very competitive prices as India has the skill, raw material and comparatively economical labour. With the development of new lines of products, the share of India in the world market will go up.