Sri Lanka to hold exposition on Trade, Tourism & Investment in parallel to CHOGM

Colombo Page - 24/09/2013

 In order to maximize the opportunity presented by the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, Sri Lanka is holding an exposition on Trade, Tourism & Investment in parallel to the event.

"Reflection of Sri Lanka" will be held at the Folk Art Center (Janakala Kendraya) in Battaramulla, a suburb of capital Colombo, from 13th to 17th November 2013.

The expo is organized by the Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Sri Lanka Tourism, and Board of Investment (BOI) in collaboration with Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and in association with other government agencies.

Speech of Mr. Bandula Egodage, the Chairman & Chief Executive of Sri Lanka Export Development Board, at the Exporters Association of Sri Lanka - AGM

Mr. Bandula Egodage, the Chairman & Chief Executive of Sri Lanka Export Development Board

I thank the Exporters' Association of Sri Lanka for inviting me to the AGM and giving me the opportunity to address this distinguished gathering of members.

The Exporters Association which represents about 80% of exporters in the country is the foremost body for exporters in Sri Lanka. We highly appreciate the contribution of Association towards the export development effort of the country.

The Government's vision as envisaged in the 'Mahinda Chintana' is to transform Sri Lanka into a strategically important economic centre of the world. This would then lead to socio economic development of the country. The export sector which contributes 17% to the GDP of the country, clearly plays an important role in achieving this objective.

SL’s fruit and vegetable exports tops US$ 32.5 m

Daily News - 20/09/2013
By - Fizel Jabir

Processors and exporters in combination have achieved as at today a 20 % increase in export revenue compared to last year, said Bandula Egodage, Chairman Export Development Board addressing the Lanka Fruit and vegetable Producers, Processors and Exporters Association's 32nd AGM on Wednesday.

He said the industry has earned US$ 32.5 million export earnings in 2012 which was very significant because members of the association were engaged in agriculture. He said the members of the association were playing a vital role in terms of rural development in Sri Lanka and was engaged in a huge CSR campaign which was more vital than figures. He said value addition was vital to overcome rising input costs.

Partnering Lanka shines bright at Turkey’s Izmir, snaps-up immediate orders

Asian Tribune - 18/09/2013

Sri Lanka, honoured as the first ever Asian Partner country at the Izmir Int’l Fair series in Turkey, has successfully clinched several trade and business deals at this global event, while also pushing its historic trade ties with the easternmost NATO power to new levels.

“We consider Turkey as one of the most important Trade Partners with high potentials for trade growth, and the present bilateral trade at $ 190 Mn is a credible starting point towards bigger trade, which in turn, has shown an increasing trend over last five years” said Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka) addressing the huge audience at the inaugural session of 2013 Izmir International Fair (the 82nd international multi-product exhibition series) on 29 August in Izmir, Turkey.

Status of Sri Lankan NR-based industry

Daily Mirror - 18/09/2013
by Dr. N.Yogarathnam

The Sri Lankan rubber products manufacturing industry is composed of about 4,530 manufacturing organizations of small, medium and large-scale entities.
Nearly 70-80 percent of the local rubber production is used by these domestic industries. Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces record 87 percent of the total number of rubber industries in the country.

All large and small-scale industries and 80 percent of medium-scale rubber industries can provide employment for trained personnel in rubber technology. Within a relatively short period, this industry has become a reputable major world supplier of quality rubber products.

The total rubber production (raw rubber and value-added) generated over 1.1 billion US dollars in terms of revenue and value-added rubber accounted for 80 percent of total rubber exports.

Sri Lanka, China to close free-trade deal

Gulf News - 17/09/2013

Sri Lanka and China will finalise a free-trade agreement ahead of a Commonwealth summit in Colombo in November, a government minister said on Tuesday.

The two sides have been hammering out details of the duty-free goods under the deal, Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters in Colombo.

China has been investing heavily in Sri Lanka, with loans and expertise instrumental in building ports, highways, railways and power plants in the Indian Ocean nation.

Sri Lanka plans to export salt from Hambantota Port

Colombo Page - 17/09/2013

Sri Lanka, expecting a bigger salt harvest this year from the country's salterns, plans to export the excess salt.

The Chairman of Lanka Salts Ltd., Pradeep Wijesiriwardana has said that there will be excess salt when the salterns at Elephant Pass produce salts and the excess can then be exported.

Wijesiriwardana has said that the plans are already underway to export the excess production from the Hambantota port.