The National SARAS Mela–2026, being held at Punnami Ghat from October 13 to 31, has received an encouraging response. Organisers said 1.13 lakh products had been sold since the exhibition began, generating cumulative sales of ₹2.74 crore.(File Photo)

Vijayawada:Branding is essential for women entrepreneurs to earn consumer trust and expand their businesses globally, branding expert Prahlad Kakar said at a workshop held as part of the National SARAS Mela–2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada on Monday.

Kakar, chairman of the India SME Forum, and Dr Aparna Rao, associate professor at NMIMS, Mumbai, interacted with aspiring women entrepreneurs and offered guidance on branding, packaging and marketing.

Praising Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision of developing a woman entrepreneur in every household, Kakar said the state government was taking steps to support women-led enterprises. He noted that Vijayawada was hosting the National SARAS Mela for the first time outside Delhi at the national level.

He urged women to contribute to the state’s development by turning the vision into reality. A brand, he said, was essentially about building consumer trust. Entrepreneurs should adopt innovative ideas, use locally available resources for attractive packaging and market their products effectively to communicate quality.

Comparing brand-building with the care parents take in naming, educating and disciplining their children, Kakar said entrepreneurs should show similar commitment to developing and promoting their products.

The National SARAS Mela–2026, being held at Punnami Ghat from October 13 to 31, has received an encouraging response. Organisers said 1.13 lakh products had been sold since the exhibition began, generating cumulative sales of ₹2.74 crore.

On October 18 alone, more than 60,000 visitors attended the fair, while around 39,690 products were sold, fetching approximately ₹1 crore.

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