New Delhi, Dec 8: Pragati Maidan,12:30 pm: Mahendra Nath Reddy of Hyderabad and his wife Padmaja walked out of China Engineering & Commodities Fair today splurging Rs 5,500 on a string of pearls. The Reddys are no stranger to oysters. Their city is home to India’s biggest pearls market. But the Reddys had a good reason to spend on what the Chinese oysters produce.‘‘Yes, Hyderabadi pearls are good, but these are different. We’re buying them just for fashion,’’ said Mrs Reddy. Delhi housewife, Kiran Bansal, splurged her cash on something else. At Rs 500 a piece, Kiran picked up two Chinese pashmina shawls at less than half the price of a Kashmiri one. A Kashmiri pashmina retails for anywhere between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 or more. ‘‘Now I too can fulfill my desire of wearing a pashmina. It’s so comfortable,’’ she said. A slew of Chinese consumer goods ranging from foodstuff to shoes to pens and pencils, medicines and health products, sunglasses and leather have been spread out at the four-day fair at Pragati Maidan. All selling at dirt cheap prices. Sample this: energy saving lamps are available for just Rs 100, shoes come for Rs 100 to Rs 300, pens and pencils for loose change that adds up to a few paise, no more. Mosquito repellants come close to Rs 100. And GoodKnight to that! Several engineering and infrastructure gadgets are on display as well. It’s truly a Chinese invasion this winter. Yet, one thing’s missing. Something that every Indian child would love to have. As do countless children the world over. The shelves simply are bereft of toys. ‘‘There are separate specialised fairs just for toys,’’ explained a CII official. CII is the co-sponsor of the show that has attracted sceptics, enthusiasts and curious onlookers alike, gathered here to unravel the great mystery and scare of a Chinese invasion that of late has loomed from across the Great Wall. Or so, feels Indian Industry. But, while Indian industry is in a frenzy to stave off the dragon, the lay folk are simply not interested. ‘‘Chinese goods are cheap and of good quality. So I will definitely go for them,’’ said Kiran. Yet another consumer who came visiting, was more considerate.‘‘Poor Indian businessmen. They will all be finished. They’ll get completely wiped out. The Chinese are producing such cheap and quality stuff that our industry will find it hard to compete. Sometime back, at this very fair, an Indian company was selling mosquito repellants for Rs 600. Now, the Chinese are selling them for just Rs 100 or so,’’ said Gurdev Singh, a transporter. A group of businessmen hanging out near a stall displaying electrical gadgets were in deep conversation.‘‘Yes, they are selling goods dirt cheap. But we are at par with them as far as quality goes. Let the government reduce excise and sales taxes and we’ll also be able to compete,’’ said Umesh Goyal, a small-scale brassware maker from Aligarh. ‘‘We have been protected for the last 50 years. And now we are suddenly being thrown into this competitive world. We have very, very tough times ahead,’’ confessed radiator manufacturer Baljeet Singh. That’s domestic industry for you, ruminating on India’s socialist past against competition from Communist China. Come, walk into the global village, where owner’s pride is indeed neighbour’s envy.
