Coronavirus: India to Showcase Gems at Virtual Event
August 18, 20
(IDEX Online) - Indian gem and jewelry manufacturers will "meet" international buyers online as their Buyer-Seller Meet goes virtual for the first time.
Organizers GJEPC say the event, using high-end cameras to showcase goods, will "give buyers an experience better than the real one".
The usual live event, with face-to-face meetings, has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The GJEPC is expecting buyers from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Europe, the Middle East, Russia CIS, South Africa, South Asia, UK, and USA on 27 and 28 August.
And there are plans to host similar events in the coming months for colured gemstones, costume jewelry, diamond-studded, gold-studded and platinum jewelry.
Dilip Shah, GJEPC 's convener international, said: "GJEPC is organising the VBSM (virtual buyer seller meet) for the first time and I am glad that we have been able to create an advanced user-friendly set-up which would give our buyers an experience better than the real one.
India is desperate to kickstart its gem and jewelry industry after exports for Q1 (April to June) plunged 54.79 per cent to $2.75bn from $6.07bn in 2019.
Colin Shah, chairman of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said: "The demand for gems and jewellery is slowly recovering in markets like the USA, China and other parts of the world. We need to make sure that we reach out to these buyers and meet their requirements.
"This is the time to explore the digital world, and make the best use of it to showcase our products through a virtual medium and help buyers make informed decisions."
File pic shows a "live" GJEPC event