CUTTACK: The historic Baliyatra festival, which concluded here on Wednesday, registered a record business in 9 days. Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), which had come up with total 410 stalls, including 27 food stalls, in its national level Pallishree Mela, has recorded sale of more than `15 crore this year.
Last year, it had achieved a total business of Rs 14.28 crore. Non-Timber Forest Produces (NTFPs) and products made by the members of self-help groups (SHGs) were a huge hit.
Organic spices, including turmeric from Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, and Nabarangpur, rice from Koraput and Deogarh, pickles from Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Athagarh, wooden crafts of Kalahandi and Kandhamal, cane and bamboo crafts of Nayagarh and Damapada and terracotta products of Balangir and Damapada were selling like hotcakes.
Woollen winter garments from Kashmir, Handloom sarees of Cuttack’s Maniabandh, bed sheets and leather products from Rajasthan and footwear from Punjab were much in demand. “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 Joint Chief Executive Officer of ORMAS, Cuttack, Bipin Rout.
However, rickshaw and by-cycle facilities provided by the district administration failed to attract visitors.
The traffic management system adopted by the Commissionerate Police had also drawn flak as people had to strand for hours to get their vehicle parked resulting in traffic jam on the roads connecting the venue.
Considering the proposal of guests on the inaugural day, the scheduled 8-day fair was extended for one day by the district administration.