600 SHG Women to Showcase Rural Crafts at SARAS Expo in Vizag
More than 600 women from Self Help Groups across multiple states, including Andhra Pradesh, will set up 250 stalls at the SARAS Exhibition 2025. The event, organized by the District Rural Development Agency, will be held at the AU Engineering College Grounds from December 15 to 26, District Collector Harendhira Prasad said on Wednesday.
He said the exhibition is designed to expand market access for SHG products, increase incomes, and enhance livelihood opportunities for women.
Addressing the media at the Collectorate, the Collector said the fair will showcase a wide variety of handloom and handicraft items, including sarees, shawls, carpets, bed sheets, bamboo and metal products, glassware, jewelry, spices, traditional and organic foods, home decor, and other rural crafts. Visakhapatnam was selected as the host city because of the festive-season foot traffic, good transportation links, and broader marketing opportunities.
The exhibition will also feature food stalls, cultural programmes, and amusement activities for children. SHG participants will be provided free stalls, accommodation, meals, and transport. The venue will have security personnel, CCTV surveillance, fire safety systems, medical support, drinking water, sanitation facilities, lighting, and generator backup.The Collector later unveiled the event poster,