Indian CEO Forum fosters economic ties and showcases investment opportunities in Sri Lanka

Daily Finance Times - 02/04/2014

The Indian CEO Forum (ICF) held its AGM on Friday, 21 March, at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo. Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal was the Chief Guest while High Commissioner of India Y. K. Sinha was the Guest of Honour.

A large number of invitees including  Ministry of Industry and Commerce Secretary Anura Siriwardena, NDB Chairman Sunil G. Wijesinha, Commercial Bank Chairman Dinesh Weerakody, People’s Leasing CEO D.P. Kumarage, Sri Lanka Export Development Board Chairman Bandula Egodage and CEOs of multinational companies were also present at the event.

Lanka to participate at SAITEX fair in Johannesburg

Daily News - 01/04/2014
By K A Aleem 

Sri Lanka Export Development Board in collaboration with the Sri Lanka High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa is organising Sri Lanka’s participation at the South African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) to be held from June 22 to 24, 2014 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa and Afro- Sri Lanka Business Forum to be organised in coincide with SAITEX2014.

SAITEX is the most popular and the region’s largest multi sector international trade fair organized in South Africa for over 20 years. SAITEX serves as a strategic gateway to entire African region.

Lanka aiming to be a top 10 apparel exporter by 2020: Minister Rishad

Daily Finance Times - 01/04/2014

• SL starts first modern footwear and leather training centre
• 2013 apparel exports a record $ 4.3 b: Rishad
• SLITAs engineering setup upgraded with hi-tech mechatronics
• 2013 footwear and leather exports up by 63%: Rishad
• New technology from Germany, Japan and Singapore

Minister Bathiudeen at the leather and footwear industry training unit and the upgraded engineering workshop at the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (SLITA), Ratmalana.

In the aftermath of latest record apparel earnings, Sri Lanka is now entertaining bigger apparel dreams. “Our internationally recognised apparel sector has shown strong performance, and has earned revenues of $ 4.3 billion in 2013. President Mahinda Rajapaksa now wants us to be among the world’s top 10 apparel export countries by 2020,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen on 21 March.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the inauguration event of the newly established Leather & Footwear Industry Training Unit and the upgraded Engineering Workshop with mechatronics at the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (SLITA) on 21 March in Ratmalana.

Sri Lanka’s textile & garment exports soar 23.4% in Jan’14

fibre2fachion.com - 27/03/2014

The exports of textiles and garments from the island nation of Sri Lanka surged by 23.4 percent year-on-year in the first month of 2014, according to a press release on ‘External Sector Performance – January 2014’ issued by the Economics Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Textiles and garments, which is the main contributor to the growth in industrial exports from Sri Lanka, grew by 23.4 percent to US$ 412 million in January 2014, compared to exports of $333.9 million made during the same month last year.

Sri Lanka exports up in Jan 2014, trade gap down amid low credit growth

Lanka Business Online - 26/03/2014

Sri Lanka's exports surged 23.3 percent to 728.7 million US dollars in January 2014, and the trade gap narrowed 5.9 percent to 755.9 million US dollars amid low credit growth, official data showed.

Industrial exports rose 23.6 percent to 691.6 million US dollars with apparel also up 23.4 percent to 412.0 million US dollars, the Central Bank said.
Agricultural products grew 14.9 percent to 116.1 million US dollars, with higher prices also coming for tea. The Central Bank said the average export price of tea had risen to 5.31 US dollars per kilogram in January 2014 from 4.58 dollar a year earlier.

Rubber product exports were up 16.6 percent to 73 million US dollars. Petroleum export revenues from bunkers and aviation fuel had fallen 18.4 percent to 33 million US dollars despite a 10.6 percent rise in volume, due to falling prices.

6th FOOTWEAR & LEATHER FAIR 2014

6th FOOTWEAR & LEATHER FAIR 2014

7TH TO 9TH FEBRUARY 2014

BMICH- COLOMBO

The Footwear & Leather fair 2014 6th edition

The 6th Footwear & Leather fair 2014 was held from 7th to 9th February 2014 at the Sirimovo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Center concluded successfully.

It was organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board in association with the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Industrial Development Board (IDB) and the Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufacturers Association (SLFLPMA).

The Footwear & Leather fair 2014 was ceremonially inaugurated by Hon Basil Rajapaksa Minister of Economic Development. Hon Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry & Commerce, Hon Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Deputy Minister of Industry & Commerce and Hon. Weerakumara Dissanayaka, Deputy Minister of Traditional industries & Small Enterprise Development were the Guests of honor at this event. Large gathering of diplomats form countries namely Iraq, Italy, Vietnam, Netherlands, Iran, Nigeria, Indonesia, Turkey, India, France, European Union, Libya, Romania, Cuba, Malaysia and Germany was presented at the opening ceremony.

B’Desh pushes biosimilar pharma JVs with Sri Lanka

The Island - 21/03/2014

Bangladeshi Health Secretary MN Neaz Uddin (left), Mohammad Sufiur Rahman (Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Sri Lanka- right)

For the first time, a government to government level cooperation effort is emerging to strengthen the supply of a crucial class of medicines in the $450 Mn Lankan pharma market. Bangladeshi pharma sector, which manufactures no less than 450 generic drugs for 5,300 registered brands, is now ready to partner with Sri Lanka to produce vital medicines used by seriously ill patients.

"Our local pharmaceutical manufacturers cater to 97% of the internal demand and they also export. We are ready to support Sri Lanka to produce biosimilar pharmaceuticals such as insulin and finalise them to finish product levels with a guaranteed cold chain. We are ready for government to government level JVs to begin with" said MN Neaz Uddin (Health Secretary, Bangladesh) on March 20 in Colombo.