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The Mela has set a new record this year registering business of about Rs 80 lakh, four times than last year's, and drew more than a lakh visitors from across the district and beyond, official sources said on Saturday.
Last year, the Pallishree Mela had recorded Rs 20 lakh business and witnessed a few thousands visitors, organisers of the Mela said.
"There was a record business of around Rs 80 lakh this year against Rs 20 lakh last year. The turn over will certainly encourage rural artisans to come up with good quality durable products," said Prasanta Das, regional officer of ORMAS. This time, around 86 stalls were put up in the Palishree Mela.
Over 100 artisans including some Self help groups (SHGs) from the district and outsideparticipated in the mela that concluded on Thursday. A stall set up to promote cane products like sofa, teapot, dining set, swing and other decorative items was a crowd-puller.
Winter garments, trendy bags, crafts, hand loom clothes and sarees of Sambalpur, Gopalpur and Maniabandha, pickles of Berhampur and Sankhachila, Bamboo crafts, badi and papad of Anandapur and wall hangings, among other products, were sold like hot cakes. Wood products, Ayurvedic products, terracotta and textile items from across the country were an added attraction.
"I did a brisk business during the Mela here. I never imagined that my products would be in suchdemand," said Kailash Das, a cane product vendor from Dampada.
Organised by ORMAS and supported by District Rural Development Authority, the Mela was inaugurated on December 23 night by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
