<strong>13<sup>th</sup> </strong>International Granite and Stone Fair – STONA 2018 is being held at Bangalore International Exhibition Center, Bangalore from 7<sup>th</sup> to 10<sup>th</sup> February 2018. STONA 2018 fair is the largest stone fair held in India with a gross area of 60000 sq mts which is being occupied by about 650 exhibitors from India and abroad. The growth is about 40 %compared to the earlier STONA 2016.  In thi Fair country pavilion from Turkey, China and Italy and many of individual exhibitors are participating from Moracco, Tunesia, Portugal, Oman , Spain, Germany, Iran and many other countries. Exhibitors from all over India are also participating and the state governments from Gujarat, Orissa, Rajasthan and Karnataka are also exhibiting the stones of their states.

Stona fairs are having a long history of 30 years and till now the Federation has conducted 12 stona fairs and the 13<sup>th</sup> is being held at BIEC Bangalore from 7<sup>th</sup> to 10<sup>th</sup> February 2018.Stone exhibition to promote the Indian Natural stone.  STONA 1987 was the first ever stone Industry fair held in   entire Asia.

From then onward, there <i>was no looking </i>back and regularly STONA fairs were conducted in 1992, 1996, 1999, and 2002.  After that the STONA fair became a biennial event and every two years the fair is conducted.  Till 2008 the fair was conducted in Palace Grounds and there after it was shifted to Bangalore International exhibition Centre and the fair was conducted in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. STONA fairs are well established name in the international market and Now STONA stands in the 4<sup>th</sup> place in the international fairs after Xiamen in china, Verona in Italy and Izmir in Turkey.

When the first stona was started in 1987 the Indian exports was around 50 crores and after STONA 2016 it has crossed 14,000 crores which clearly shows the contribution of the STONA fairs.

These time large numbers of machinery manufacturers pertaining to the stone industry are showcasing the latest machinery available for the stone industry. Large number of granite and Marble blocks from India and also from Iran, Turkey and other countries are also under display.    A buyer’s delegation from Poland is visiting the fair apart from the buyers from several other countries.

Ambassadors from various countries are also visiting STONA 2018 to get first hand information about what the Natural stone Industry of India can offer. Since raw material problem is faced by the Indian stone processing Industry, FIGSI made arrangement for an interactive session of the Industry with the Ambassadors on 7<sup>th</sup>February 2018.