A one-day capacity building training program on ‘Packaging for export of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft products of Nagaland,’ under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was held at the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Nagaland on 18th February 2022.
Delivering the welcome address at the inaugural program, Dr. Babu Rao Guduri, Joint Director & Head Training & Education Division, Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai, said that be it in the Agri, Handloom or Handicrafts sector, packaging plays a very important role and today, it is recognised by the product manufacturer, traders, retailers, and end-users as a very important component of a product. He stated that the main objective of the training program is to promote export packaging and provide manpower to the packaging industry. Briefing on the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), he mentioned that IIP is an autonomous and apex body for packaging in the country working under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, with its main Headquarter located in Mumbai, and regional centres/institutes in Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Vishakapatnam, and Ahmedabad. World Packaging Organisation has ranked IIP as the second-best packaging institute in the world, after Michigan University, USA, he added.
Addressing the gathering, Special Guest, Tali Longchar, Director, MSME-DI, Dimapur encouraged the Naga entrepreneurs to compete in the world market, meeting the requirements of the world standards, and to fulfill this, the entrepreneurs need to come up with innovative ideas to attract the customers and the market. Based on what is being manufactured, particularly in food processing, the quality and packaging of the products need to be taken care of carefully. He pointed out that Nagaland produces a lot of handloom products and every tribe has its distinct designs, but only one or two tribes have registered for Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. He called on for more people to get MSME registration, Trade registration, GI Tag, etc. Tali Longchar also encouraged the participants to sincerely start up their businesses, to be competitive, and to focus on sustaining it, instead of giving up halfway.
Extending his gratitude to the Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata Centre for coming to Kohima to conduct the training program, Guest of honour, K. Hokishe Assumi, Director, Industries & Commerce hoped that the good turnout in the training program will be an eye-opener and encouragement for the Naga entrepreneurs. He said that it is time Naga entrepreneurs take their businesses seriously and aim for sustenance, pointing out that in business, unless by dint of hard work and sincerity, there is no security. He advised the gathering to take the ideas and inspiration from the foreign products which are beautifully packaged and sold in the market, but without copying and imitating those completely. He pointed out the need to have our own logos and packaging ideas. Hokishe Assumi encouraged the participants to learn, benefit from the training, take it forward, and take up their businesses seriously.
During the training, ‘Basic concepts, principles and functions of packaging for export of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft products of Nagaland’ and ‘CFB Transport Packaging of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft products of Nagaland’ was presented by Dr. Babu Rao Guduri, Joint Director & Head Training & Education Division, Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai; ‘ Flexible packaging for export of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft Products of Nagaland’ was presented by Puneet Agarwal, Director, M/s Manjushree Polypacks Pvt. Ltd. Guwahati, Assam; and ‘Live demonstration and screening of a video of packaging for export of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft products of Nagaland’ was presented by Rishu Gautam, Assistant Director, Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata Centre.
The program was chaired by Rishu Gautam, Assistant Director, Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata Centre, who also delivered the vote of thanks. The one-day capacity building training program was organised by Indian Institute of Packaging, Kolkata Centre, and sponsored by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, Government of India, in association with Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Nagaland. Altogether, 180 participants took part in the training program.
The main objective of the workshop is to disseminate information about the trends and technology in the packaging of processed food, create awareness about the importance of Agri food, Handloom and Handicraft products, and also promote the export market with the use of innovative packaging designs & developments, standardisation etc. under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
(Mhonlumi APRO)
