Kochi: Curtains went up on the first Kerala Business-to-Business Meet 2004, opening new vistas for over 10,000 "cent percent" ethically manufactured products from 10 sectors, including the centuries-old traditional industries in Kerala.

In his inaugural address, Industries and IT Minister P K Kunhalikutty said the State was making all efforts to create a Kerala brand in food processing and handlooms among others.

"We are confident of coming out with many Kerala brands in the coming two years," he said, adding the State's products were ahead in quality and the products were manufactured ethically.

Hoping the Government's first-of-its-kind initiative would help in revamping the handloom and some other sectors, he said there were plans to make the B2B an annual event.

There were plans to open an exhibition centre at Kochi.

Government was aiming to forge new trade alliances with internationally-renowned and centuries-old traditional industries together with few modern units of Kerala. The "feel-good factor" is there in the agricultural, tourism, IT and education sectors, he said.

Since the last two years, there had been lot of achievement in various fields, but it got submerged in the political bickerings. The negative perception of the State should go and there was need for building up self-confidence.

The Government will not go back on the IT initiative and the projects taken up at the Global Investor meet (GIM) held last year, he said.