Photo Courtesy: nenow
Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma opened the week-long Zo Fair, also known as Aadhi Bazaar, at the Dawrpui Multipurpose Hall this Monday. The event unites artisans from across the North East to display traditional expertise. The fair is a joint effort between the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India and the Mizoram Cooperation Department.
The exhibition hosts 25 stalls. There are 13 from various North Eastern states and 12 from Mizoram. These include two tribal food cuisine stalls, alongside vendors selling bamboo goods, handwoven textiles, forest produce, and natural items. The goal is simple: facilitate direct trade between producers and buyers, cutting out middlemen.
Addressing the crowd, the Chief Minister emphasized that traditional skills served as the historical record for regional identity long before written documents existed. He praised the generations of inherited craftsmanship on display. "While technology has enabled mass production of goods, traditional handcrafted products continue to require painstaking manual effort," Lalduhoma said.
He urged the artisans to retain their pride and resist undervaluing their work. He noted that outside demand for these unique goods is steadily rising. Rural Development and Administration Minister Lalnilawma also spoke, pointing to the potential of the cooperative movement. He cited a recent Horti Fair in Aizawl that saw Rs 20 lakh in sales in one day. He linked this commercial success to the state's broader goal of reaching self-reliance under the Viksit Mizoram 2047 initiative.
P.S. Thuingaleng, the TRIFED Regional Manager for the North East, highlighted that Mizoram’s Van Dhan Vikas Kendras are currently the best-performing in the region. He issued a clear directive for future growth: artisans must improve their product packaging to remain competitive. The Chief Minister encouraged all visiting participants to explore local households and experience Mizo hospitality as one family.
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