Odisha's Baliyatra concludes with record sales

CUTTACK: The 10-day historic Baliyatra festival concluded here on Sunday with record business and no report of untoward incident. Generally, the week-long fair is extended by one day. But this year, the administration had extended the annual maritime trade fair by two more days for observing the City Festival to mark the ongoing Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

A large turnout at the fair led to record sales bringing a smile to face of the traders this year. Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), which had come up with total 383 stalls including 20 food stalls in its national level Pallishree Mela, has registered a total sale of `12.42 crore by Saturday. Last year, it had achieved total business amounting to `13.16 crore. 

Deputy Director of ORMAS Bipin Bihari Rout said more than `three crore business has been reported on the last day of the festival on Sunday. With selling out of all items and products, some stalls in Pallishree Mela have been lying empty since Friday.

Non-Timber Forest Produces (NTFP) such as brooms, honey, spices, food material and the innovative products made by members of SHGs were a huge hit. Organic spices, including turmeric from Kandhamal, bay leaf from Balasore and Kalajira rice from Koraput were selling like hot cakes. Similarly, woolen winter garments from Kashmir, bed-sheets and leather products from Rajasthan, footwear from Punjab, dhokra and tribal jewelleries from Jharkhand were much in demand.

There was a high demand for wooden works of Kalahandi and Bargarh, handloom sarees of Cuttack’s Maniabandh and Tussar fabrics of western Odisha in the trade fair. “There was a good response at the fair, as people thronged Baliyatra in large numbers. The business generated will no doubt encourage artisans to come up with good quality products,” said Rout.

As many as 43 joy rides and swings had come up this year at Meena Bazaar for entertainment of revellers. For the first time, the fair was started from 5 AM every day with a yoga camp. Boat, horse, camel race and dog show were also performed. The Commissionerate Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the mega fair.