Swift Summary:
- The All-India Agarbathi manufacturing Association (AIAMA) will adopt Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for quality benchmarks in the ₹8,000-crore agarbathi industry.
- India currently produces 16,000-20,000 tonnes of incense sticks monthly adn exports ₹1,000 crore worth of agarbathis to 120 countries; 80% is sold domestically. Over 2 lakh women are employed in the industry.
- AIAMA represents over 800 direct manufacturers and over 3,000 indirect manufacturers nationwide and offers a product portfolio of over 5,000 different varieties.
- From November 6 to November 8 in Bengaluru, AIAMA will host a three-day expo featuring curated seminars on policies, employment opportunities, sourcing materials, consumer trends, packaging innovations & tech upgrades. Expected participation includes over 5,000 delegates from India and abroad.
- Partnerships for the event include bodies like FAFAI (Mumbai), FFDC (Kannauj), and EOAI (India). Rare samples and memorabilia will showcase the industry’s legacy to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs.
Indian Opinion Analysis:
The adoption of BIS certification by AIAMA marks an significant step toward standardizing quality in India’s agarbathi industry amidst rising domestic demand and global exports-factors that illustrate its growing prominence as both an economic sector with cultural significance and employment potential for women empowerment initiatives across rural areas.Hosting an expo showcasing innovation along with strategic discussions indicates commitment by stakeholders towards expanding market reach through better branding practices while addressing challenges concerning raw materials or export management systems-possibly giving India’s smaller agarbathi enterprises more avenues to thrive amidst competition globally.
read More at The Hindu.