The Kerala government will be organizing Kerala Business to Business (B2B) Meet 2016, a three-day business meet in Kochi in February next year, exclusively to promote Small and Medium Enterprises of the state. Kerala is taking serious steps to make the state business friendly. The event will be organized by state's department of industries and commerce.

In the run-up to Kerala Business-to-Business Meet 2016, State Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty launched the logo for a mega event slated for early next year. The logo, - with the slogan “Opportunities Face 2 Face for SMEs”, highlights the creation of a buyer-seller network that enables one-to-one interaction—was unveiled by the Industries and IT Minister at a function in the state capital.

The SME sector in Kerala has witnessed a 12 percent growth—the highest in India—and the B2B meet will serve to strengthen the growth, said Kunhalikutty. Unlike other states, they do not have large areas to hand over to industries, and cannot give environmental clearances to polluting industries. In Kerala, they are keener on inclusive growth, such as seen in the SME sector.

The meet will focus on promoting the products of key sectors including food processing, handlooms, textiles and garments, rubber, wood-based industries, ayurveda, herbal and cosmetics, engineering and handicrafts, State Minister for Industries and IT P K Kunhalikutty said here after releasing the logo for the meet.

The meet will provide a platform for direct and one-to-one interaction between sellers and buyers and enable a mutually beneficial business relationship. FICCI is the 'trade and industry partner' of the event.

The Directorate of Industries & Commerce will identify and select 200 SMEs for the meet, while apex trade body and the event’s ‘trade & industry partner’, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, will bring in 300 national and 50 international buyers.

The event, with Kerala Bureau for Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) as the nodal agency, is being organized in association with the Directorate of Industries & Commerce, the Directorate of Handlooms & Textiles, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation.

The three-day meet, exclusively for the small and medium enterprise (SME), is scheduled to be held at the CIAL Trade Fair & Exhibition Centre at Nedumbassery in Ernakulam from February 4.