KOCHI: The 14th edition of the Kerala Bamboo Festival began at Marine Drive Ground here on Friday. Industries Minister A C Moideen inaugurated the five-day festival organised by the Kerala state Industries Department and the Kerala Bamboo Mission.Apart from those associated with the bamboo industry in Kerala, people from 11 other states are also displaying their bamboo products at the event. Moideen expressed concern over the fishermen stranded at sea due to cyclone Ockhi. “Our brothers are stranded at sea with their lives at risk. The entire state should stand with them and their family members. We hope all the fishermen will return safely soon,” he said.
On the bamboo festival, he requested the public to visit the fest, which will be a boost to the people associated with the bamboo sector. “The bamboo industry has vast employment opportunity and the government is committed to ensuring the growth of the sector. A variety of products, including household goods, interior designing goods, kitchen goods and food products are displayed at the stalls here,” he said.
Hibi Eden MLA, Industries Secretary Paul Antony, K V Thomas MP and Mayor Soumini Jain also spoke on the occasion.
As many as 148 stalls have been set up at the venue. Bamboo products from Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Assam, Karnataka, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh are also displayed. The exhibition starts at 11 am and stalls close at 5 pm.