KOTA KINABALU: Kraftangan Malaysia is aiming to rake in RM400,000 from the sale of handicraft at the Borneo Craft Festival (BCF) 2022.
Its director-general Ainu Sham Ramli said they hoped to achieve the target from the participation of 58 exhibitors and expected 30,000 visitors.
The programme which started on Sept 23 and will end on Oct 10 is the first physical programme held in Sabah after the easing of Covid-19 pandemic protocols.
Speaking at the launch of the programme here, she said the exhibition also provides a platform for the craft community to market their products directly to customers.
In the two previous exhibitions held in 2018 and 2019, they generated a total sales of RM1.12 million.
"A total of 199 craft entrepreneurs from Sabah and Sarawak took part in the two exhibitions and there were over 30,000 visitors," she said.
To encourage more people to buy handicraft, Ainu said an incentive voucher amounting to RM3 million has been offered to buyers since Sept 16 which marked Malaysia Day celebration.
For every purchase worth RM100, she said the buyers were entitled to get a discount voucher worth RM30 for all handicraft products at BCF 2022, at all sales centres and galleries of Kraftangan Malaysia nationwide, craft complexes and Karyaneka outlets.
"This initiative has had a positive impact on the achievements of the national craft industry.
"Craft sales up to August 2022 recorded an achievement of 93.2 per cent, which is RM186.4 million of the targeted RM200 million.
"The number of craft communities also increased to 26,054 people compared to 25,592 people last year," she said.
The programme also featured the Miss BCF 2022 contest won by Universiti Malaysia Sabah student, Fienny Khoo Kim Ni.
The second and third places respectively went to Christine Bartholomew, also a student, and Devona Josephine David, a teacher.