Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
Sri Lanka is hopeful as exports continue to surge with latest volumes showing a promising uptrend. “The export trend in September is continuing. The 3% exports increase in October is higher than expected” said a pleased Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 22 November.
Minister Bathiudeen was acknowledging the latest export numbers for October 2013 indicated to him by his top officials on 22 November at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The biggest Lankan trade, tourism and investment exposition in history successfully concluded on Sunday 17 November at Battaramulla, with $ 01 Bn in international business partnerships. “The event appears to be a sell-out. There were more than 242000 visitors that included an unprecedented number of international buyers representing 66 countries -which led to 1428 serious buyer visits, 101 promising B2B meetings” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 20 November in Colombo.
Minister Bathiudeen was speaking with his top officials including Anura Siriwardena, (Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce), on 20 November acknowledging the final review of the progress of Reflection of Sri Lanka -the integrated tourism, trade, investment and SME exposition -inaugurated on 13 November in Battaramulla. Reflection of Sri Lanka was inaugurated by (HE) the President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 13 November evening in the presence of a large number of Lankan and international dignitaries as well as media.
The top textile companies from Taiwan will be showcasing their cutting edge, unique and high performance textile products at Taiwan Textile Fairs in South Asia 2013 at the Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 26 and 27, 2013.
Taiwan is one of the largest textile exporters in the world and the Taiwan textile industry is internationally renowned for its manufacturing excellence. Their superior quality yarn, innovative fabrics and textile products are now coming to Sri Lanka and will present their range of state-of-the-art textile products to Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers at the Taiwan Textile Fairs in South Asia 2013.
The Anuga Exhibition is the most important platform for the food business held in Cologne. This year, 6777 exhibition stands catered to the public, and more than 150 000 trade visitors from 187 countries were present to check out the actual trends in the food business.
The Minister of Industries and Commerce of Sri Lanka, Rishad Bathiudean, accompanied by Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Germany, Mr. Sarath Kongahage, and the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Frankfurt, Mr. Pradip Jayawardana, opened the Sri Lanka representation with 41 Sri Lankan companies exhibiting high quality Sri Lankan products such as tea and other export products.
The exposition on Trade, Tourism and Investment titled 'Reflection of Sri Lanka' is set to take place in parallel with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in November 13 to 17, 2013 at the Battaramulla Ape Gama premises(Jana Kala Kendraya). This event would be the biggest of its kind, happening in Sri Lanka, with the registered participation of 520 exporters under one roof, accommodating 968 stalls.
Reflection of Sri Lanka International Exhibition on Trade, Tourism and Investment organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Industry and Commerce together with Export Development Board(EDB), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Board of Investment(BOI).
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will begin formulating a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between the two countries subsequent to the completion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), with a view to developing into a free-trade agreement (FTA) in future, according to Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Mohammad S. Rahman.
“The current quantum of bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is still relatively low at approximately US $ 9 million.
However, there is a lot of potential to improve this figure. We hope to establish a PTA once the CHOGM is completed, which can eventually be developed into a fullyfledged FTA in future,” he stated.
Forthcoming FTA with China is not a blindsided move but is a process involving studies and even relevant stakeholder consultations. “We are still at initial study phase and we will not finalize product lists without consulting Lankan stakeholders such as various chambers and industries,” assured Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen to the oldest Industry Chamber in the country on October 31 in Colombo.
Minister Bathiudeen was addressing a delegation led by new Chairman,CNCI Gamini Gunasekara on October 31 at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Also taking part were Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce Anura Siriwardena and additional secretaries, officials of Department of Commerce and CNCI officials.
