Indian hair products popular at S. African expo

Tuesday, 15 July 2003, 19:30 IST
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JOHANNESBURG: Indian hair and related products proved to be a big draw at the three-day Beauty Africa Expo here, but a perfumes exporter was rather disillusioned. The annual beauty expo that ended Monday attracted several manufacturers from India who were keen to find South African partners for their products. Aasheesh Katarukar, who exhibited herbal cosmetics, hair care and skincare products at a small stall, said there had been great interest from visitors from the beauty industry. "We were looking for distributors here and have received many enquiries which we will follow up." Katarukar was positive about adding South Africa to the list of countries he exports his products to. But at the much larger and more attractive stall right next door, Sajid Kazmi, general manager of Attar Mohd., Dawood and Brothers of Madras, said the response to his exhibit of fine perfumes, perfume oils, incense and cosmetics had been disappointing. "Based on the statistics given by our consul-general, the response has not been so encouraging. We have got a few contacts though, and we hope we will be successful in getting a local partner," said Kazmi. He said his company has been exporting for 50 years to the Middle East and other countries and had received four export awards from the Indian government. The company had hoped to gain a foothold in the African market through their first participation in a trade fair on the continent. "We had hoped to get at least 10 to 15 enquiries, but only received three to four genuine ones." The Indian stand that attracted the greatest interest was RK Hair Products of Andhra Pradesh, where visitors expressed surprise at the quality of natural hair available. Having visited South Africa on an exploratory trip last year, Ravindra Nath Vanka, managing director of RK Hair Products, told IANS he had decided to launch a full exhibit here this time round. "The white and African communities in South Africa have expressed great interest in our products which we have been exporting to the European and American markets and we are keen to export to Africa as well. "India's hair is very good quality. We get our hair from sources like temples." In India, many Hindu men offer hair to the gods at temples believing it to be an auspicious act. South African Indian businessman Dan Chetty represented organic hair care products manufactured by a U.S.-based company, Namaste Laboratories, with a special machine that showed detailed analyses of prospective buyers' scalps on a computer monitor. Chetty lauded the organic products being marketed by Indian exhibitors at the show, but said they needed to do their marketing better. "India has always had a leaning towards organic products. But the unfortunate thing with Indian companies is that they are not getting the support that they should be getting from government," Chetty told IANS. "They are doing it on an individual basis and I think this is what is stagnating them. They are tying up with the wrong people, they are entering the wrong market and they are basically not here permanently. Besides those trying to export their products, there were also many Indian visitors who came to look at the latest technologies and products in the beauty care field by exhibitors from all over the world. Pam Dillon, projects manager for South Africa Rai, the organisers of the Beauty Africa Expo, said: "The exhibition has been wonderful this year with the Indian participation. It's the first time we have had a really good delegation coming from India, both from the exhibitor's side and visitors."
Source: IANS
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