Northeast, with nearly 16% growth in direct selling, is poised to fly higher as all eight sister states registered a leap jump in sales, adding Rs 255 crore from the previous year to cross Rs 1854 crore in the year 2022-23, the Indian Direct Selling Association disclosed in the 2nd Northeast Direct Selling Conference and Expo organised on Tuesday. The region, which accounts for 8.7% of the Rs 21,282 crore national turnover of the direct selling industry (DSI), provides self-income opportunities to over 4.2 lakh direct sellers, the IDSA disclosed, and added that Assam, being the 9th largest direct selling market in the country, rules the roost with Rs 1,009 crore in sales, 13% YOY growth, and a 4.7% national market share, supported by over 2.4 lakh direct sellers.
Combined, the other seven states contribute Rs 845 crore: Nagaland Rs 227 crore, Mizoram Rs 156 crore, Arunachal Pradesh Rs Rs 78 crore, Tripura Rs 72 crore, Meghalaya Rs 19 crore, and Sikkim Rs 5 crore. Notable growth rates were seen in Mizoram (31%), Sikkim (25%), Nagaland (22.7%), and Manipur (20%). The industry contributes around Rs 300 crore annually to the exchequer of northeastern states, reinforcing its role in the region’s development, the IDSA highlighted. Anasua Dutta Barua, Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Govt. of Assam, said in her key note address that while creating a conducive environment for the direct selling industry under the regulations, the state is committed to safeguard the interests of consumers. Underscoring the need to ensure the products quality for consumers, she offered all the help to the industry from her department, which also aboard IDSA as a subject matter expert in the Monitoring Committee, set up by in compliance to the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules 2021. The Govt. is working towards creating an effective mechanism to ensure companies adhere to direct selling rules, she added.
Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Pride East Entertainment, expressed her admiration for the contributions of women to society and national development. She emphasized that women, once venturing beyond the traditional confines of the home, have achieved remarkable success across various fields. Highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of women in the direct selling sector, she praised their ability to set inspiring examples through their achievements. Sharma congratulated the women honored at the event and commended the IDSA for organizing such initiatives, which serve to motivate others to join this transformative journey.
