India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) kickstarted its first plain gold jewellery Virtual Buyer Seller Meeting (VBSM) on 21st September, which follows closely on the heels of the successful inaugural VBSM for Loose Diamonds in early September.
The “Plain Gold Jewellery VBSM” is being organised from 21st to 24th September, and features 9 Indian sellers and 17 international buyers, nearly three-quarters of whom are from Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, while a handful are from the UK and New Zealand.
In a keynote address, Mr. Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, said, “The Plain Gold Jewellery VBSM is an important step taken by the GJEPC in the times of pandemic, and the event is a key mode of promotion for India to globally connect with buyers. We have to get used to a ‘new normal’ by converting the Covid-related problems into new opportunities.
“Many such events should be held in the future to reclaim the export business to the pre-Covid level through such new platforms. Gems and jewellery are one of the most important sectors in the economy. The government is identifying and introducing various reforms to minimise the impact of Covid. We have to increasingly used e-commerce in the wake of new health protocols in order to grow.”
