New Delhi, Nov 16 (KNN) Projecting Kerala as an attractive business-friendly destination with robust economic fundamentals, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has invited the global investor community and industry stakeholders to do business with the southern coastal state and accelerate its growth across various sectors, especially manufacturing and services segments.

“Kerala is ready for investments and open to business,” Vijayan told a Diplomats Meet on ‘Vyapar 2017’, jointly organised by the Kerala government and FICCI here last evening.

According to a FICCI release, the chief minister said the state’s galloping economy, industry-friendly laws, abundant power and skilled manpower made Kerala an ideal business hub.

“Kerala has already demonstrated its economic heft in highly specialised sectors like tourism, healthcare, information technology, food processing, among others. We have a clear agenda for development, a knowledge-based economy and highly skilled manpower. These are all incentives for businesses to invest in the state,” he added.

The state government’s Department of Industries and Commerce is organizing ‘Vyapar 2017’, the sixth edition of Kerala B2B Meet, at Bolgatty Island Resort in Kochi from February 2 to 4 next year.

“It will showcase Kerala’s business potential and manufacturing competence to the trading and outsourcing community in India and elsewhere. It will enhance the competitiveness of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in Kerala and provide a platform for marketing their competencies,” Vijayan told the gathering.

Showcasing the robustness of Kerala’s SMEs, he said a wide variety of segments ranging from handlooms and textiles to Ayurveda therapies, herbal medications and traditional handicrafts, fall into this sector having the potential for generating employment and economic growth.

The B2B Meet would boost the branding of Kerala’s native products, improve their marketability and mobility in the global market and give the state’s manufacturing sector access to large markets outside its borders, he noted.