Noida: Like his ancestors, Laxmi Chand Prajapati inherited his familys terracotta business, established in Gorakhpur in 1904. He has been running it for 40 years.At the UP International Trade Show on Friday, Prajapati (58) says he is hoping to expand his business to international markets to make it more lucrative for the next generation when the baton is ready to be passed.His terracotta work is among the 80 stalls of geographical indication (GI) products featured at the fair in Greater Noidas India Expo Mart.From Saharanpurs wood craft to Baghpats home furnishings, Amrohas dholaks, Nizamabads black pottery and brocade sarees from Varanasi, the GI section of the trade show captures the traditional essence of UP. Though there is pride in their products, a common concern that runs through the section is sustainability as the newer generations look away from the family heirloom.My family started this business with clay pots, and statues of elephants and horses. In 1960, we expanded to make jewellery and other products as well. And in 1990, we started selling across all Indian states. Demand is usually high around Diwali every year. No, we are looking for ways to export our items outside the country, Prajapati said.The state governments One District One Product scheme, artisans said, had given their industries the impetus they needed to boost their presence. One such GI-item is the shazar stone of Banda district in Bundelkhand. The translucent stones were found over four centuries ago on the banks of Ken river. An industry came up and there were around 80 factories doing this work by 1990. But low demand and lack of workers led to a decline. It was after the stone was given a GI tag and the ODOP scheme was implemented that the industry came back to life, said Dwarika Prasad Soni, a traditional worker of Shazar stone.Under the same roof, some artisans and craftsmen also displayed their skills.Sagusta Parveen was 18 when she mastered the art of zardozi embroidery. At her stall, she engrossed her buyers by weaving intricate designs in front of them. I want to take my business to the international market, she said. Despite the interest at the fair, Abhay Shah, who was awarded by the state for his wood carving skills, said he was apprehensive. Though there is demand for handcrafted products, fewer people are learning the trade as newer generations flock to professional courses than traditional art, he said. Some, like owner of the Master Handloom Mohammed Arshad, told TOI they were optimistic with the attention they were getting from foreign buyers even though none had placed orders as yet.We did get some inquiries about our products, he said. They then conceded that three days were still left for the trade show to conclude. And at the Expo Mart were many more items to lure the buyers — Mau saris, Varanasi wooden lacquerware and toys, Meerut scissors, Aligarh locks and Baghpat home furnishings among them.

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