GJEPC facilitates direct sourcing of gemstones from global miners. The apex jewellery export body the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) organised a week-long event India Rough Gemstones Sourcing Show 2021 (IRGSS 2021) to facilitate domestic processors to source coloured gemstones directly from their miners in Zambia and Mozambique.
Organised between March 13 and 19 in Jaipur, the event was inaugurated in the presence of Mr S C Agrawal, Commissioner of Customs, Jaipur, and GJEPC Regional Chairman (Rajasthan Region) Mr Nirmal Kumar Bardiya, and committee members including Mr Vijay Kedia, Mr Ram Babu Gupta, and Mr Badri Narayanan Gupta, amongst others.
IRGSS 2021 is witnessing rough emerald supplier from Zambia and rough ruby supplier from Mozambique. The travel restrictions due to pandemic limited the manufacturing as coloured gemstone industry is largely import based with dependency on raw material for manufacturing. The main objective of the show was to provide direct sourcing of rough gemstones by Indian gemstone manufacturers without having to travel to different mining countries.
“Being an import-oriented industry, availability of good quality rough gemstones is a pre-requisite for the sector. By organising this show, GJEPC is making sure that the export activities resume in full throttle as manufacturing activities are back to normal and there is ease in Covid crisis. The aim is to give direct access of rough gemstones to manufacturers without having to travel to different mining countries for sourcing roughs,” said Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC.
Jaipur is the global hub for cutting and polishing of coloured gemstones. It processes more than 300 different varieties of precious and semi-precious gemstones which includes emerald, tanzanite, morganite and many other precious gemstones.
The second edition of IRGSS too is organised, following all the necessary Central government’s health departments and state government’s safety guidelines laid for Covid – 19 like social distancing, disinfection, compulsory wearing of masks etc.
GJEPC, the organisers of the show, has ensured not more than 20 visitors will be allowed to visit the show at a given point of time, to avoid large gathering.
As there are no gemstone mines in India, it has always been a challenge to get consistent and continuous supply of roughs for the Indian gem cutting and polishing industry. Shows like the IRGSS will ensure that the gemstone manufacturers get an opportunity to network and build relationship with miners from across the world. Thus, helping them to have continuous supply of roughs.
