July 1, 2025: Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, opened a buyer-seller meeting here on Monday to empower local artisans and boost the economy. The Buyer-Seller Meet at SKICC was opened today by the Chief Minister. By establishing direct market connections and promoting local goods, the initiative aims to empower artisans and boost the local economy. The meet is hosting 15 international and 30 national buyers,” Abdullah posted on his official X handle.
Abdullah later told reporters that the effectiveness of the meet would not be known until the end of the year. “One buyer-seller meet would not solve the problems. We have six buyer-seller meets and six reverse buyer-seller meets. This was just the first one…the effectiveness of these events can be known only after we hold the remaining 11 buyer-seller meets,” he said.
Responding to a question on the timing of the event, Abdullah said the buyer-seller meets are not meant for tourists.
Tourists typically shop for their purchases. Wherever bulk orders are placed, this kind of event takes place. The event will be successful, even if one craftsman receives a large order,” he added.