Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
The latest Sri Lanka-Iraq Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation (JEC) Commenced February 25 in Baghdad, a statement from the Industry and Commerce Ministry said.
“Iraq is certainly an important market for us not only for tea but even for other prospective products. Similarly, there would be good opportunities for Iraq to promote its products using Sri Lanka’s potential,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, making his opening remarks at the eighth session of Sri Lanka Iraq Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation (JEC) meeting in Baghdad, heading a 16-member delegation.
Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka - Iraq has reached $90 million, an 80 per cent increase, and the two countries are aiming to break new ground when the largest joint trade session has begun in Baghdad. OPEC’s second biggest oil power is also ready to channel its Basra Light Crude to Sri Lankan refineries.
”In the past Sri Lanka bought and refined our oil. You can buy our Basra Light brand of crude streams and we are ready to supply them to you as we are a top buyer of Ceylon Tea,” said a confident Ambassador of Iraq in Sri Lanka, Kahtan Taha Khalaf in Colombo last week.
Pakistan is expected to invest around US$ 500 million in Sri Lanka in the next three years, said Hasan Zaigham, the First Secretary, Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka addressing a seminar on Sri Lanka and Pakistan trade, organized by the National Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka.
Investments from Pakistan into Sri Lanka have begun to pick up. As of December 2012, the total cumulative investment stood at around US$ 11.9 million and currently Investment of around US$ 233.3 million is in the pipeline
As Fairtrade becomes the latest sales driver in international markets, Sri Lanka has stepped up its efforts to meet the new standard. A promising Lankan export niche has become the successful testing ground for Sri Lanka’s entry into global Fairtrade certification regime – and the EDB, which leads the initiative, has received encouraging feedback from many – including a global consultant on Fairtrade.
“I am impressed of Sri Lanka’s craft makers and exporters. Their products are of high quality,” said a satisfied Paul Myers, the visiting USAID/VEGA Fairtrade Expert on 19 June at EDB, Colombo.
Merging its latest tourism arrivals to its modernizing healthcare, Sri Lanka is mulling to be a medical tourism destination next-while also opening a new niche service niche in its surging exports.
“Due to the support of well-trained, high quality healthcare professionals, availability of treatment centres as well as pharmaceuticals, we are witnessing the emergence of a new sector, that is medical tourism, contributing to our service exports” said an upbeat Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka on 12 February in Colombo.
Sri Lanka's external sector strengthened further with continued inflows to both the Current Account and the Financial Account of the Balance of Payments (BOP)in December 2013.These inflows resulted in a significant increase in the overall balance as at end December 2013, the Central Bank said yesterday.
Earnings from exports recorded an increase, while a notable reduction in imports was witnessed during the month, considerably reducing the trade deficit. Inflows on account of workers’ remittances and tourist earnings also recorded the highest values during a month, while inflows to the Financial Account increased moderately during December, the Bank said yesterday.
Sri Lanka's booming footwear and leather sector has demonstrated the highest exports surge in recent history while the industry players lauded praise on the government for the support given to them. "Our footwear and leather exports have shown a strong growth trend. In 2012, exports from this sector stood at $ 30 Mn but now it has registered a remarkable 63% increase in 2013 to $ 51 Mn" said a satisfied Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka) on February 7 in Colombo.
Sri Lanka's footwear and leather sector has shown a remarkable growth in the last year with exports surging over 63 percent from the previous year.
The total Leather and Leather Product exports stood at US$ 51 million in 2013 increasing 63.5% from the US$ 31.19 million earned in the previous year.
"Our footwear and leather exports have shown a strong growth trend," Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen said Friday addressing the inauguration of the sixth edition of the Footwear and Leather Fair at the BMICH.
The 2014 exhibition held from February 7-9 is organized by Sri Lanka Export Development Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Industrial Development Board and Footwear and the Leather Products Manufacturers Association.
The Sri Lankan footwear and leather industry is growing at a steady pace-and has developed into a sector catering to international markets. “Forthcoming 6th International Footwear & Leather Fair is a three day event and will move our producers, who now show 45% value addition, to international buyers” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka on 31 January in Colombo.
Minister Bathiudeen was acknowledging his officials’ info on the forthcoming 6th International Footwear & Leather Fair which will commence in Colombo on 07 February. The three day exposition will pack such events as, a Designer Award Ceremony, an exclusive Fashion Show and a stall competition. On display are footwear, raw material, travel goods, chemicals, leather goods, components & accessories as well as machinery. In addition to the general public, Importers, Buying houses, Traders, Designers, Wholesalers & Agents, Brand owners, and Industrialists are expected to grace the expo.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) together with the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Industrial Development Board and the Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufacturers Association (SLFLPMA) will provide a platform for Sri Lankan footwear and leather product exporters, manufacturers and SMEs’ to showcase their talents and capabilities locally and globally by organising the 6th Footwear and leather Fair 2014 from 7 to 9 February 2014.
Footwear and Leather industry contributes a considerable share to the country’s exports earning and shown a remarkable growth during this year. In addition, footwear manufacturers cater to more than 50% of the local market requirement, minimising imports of such items.
In a new breakthrough after a year from the first ever successful Hong Kong-Sri Lanka biz MoU in 2013, some Hong Kong based manufacturers are now looking to move factories to Sri Lanka and a high powered biz delegation from HK is now scheduled to arrive in early April.
”The first ever business development MoU between Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Export Development Board (EDB) was a tremendous success and some Hong Kong based manufacturers are looking to move factories to Sri Lanka. A delegation led by none other than the Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC Ms Margaret Fong is scheduled to arrive in early April for the next level in this process. Some HK manufacturers have already expressed interest to set up production in Sri Lanka, especially in garment and food, as well as handicraft and sunshine industries. Tentatively, there will be 20 delegates from 15 companies in the forthcoming delegation. We are also helping some Sri Lankan exporters to find HK markets and importers,” said Sunny Chau, Regional Manager, HKTDC Southeast Asia and India, on January 21 in Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s exports, which suffered a YoY decline of 7% in 2012, returned with a bang in 2013 posting a 6.2% surge. "I and EDB thank our exporters for their commitment for this strong performance" a Ministry of Industry and Commerce press release quoted Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen as saying.
The release adds: ‘Minister Bathiudeen was acknowledging the latest provisional annual export performance numbers briefed to him by his officials on January 22 in Colombo.
‘According to the latest provisional figures by the EDB, 2013 cumulative exports earnings stood at $ 10379.94 Mn, growing by 6.2% from 2012’s annual export revenues of $ 9773.63 Mn.
Sri Lankan coir has grabbed the attention of a leading global automotive firm. "I am happy to say that our coir is now used by Mercedes Benz. This is the first time we learn that our coir have gone to such high levels" said a pleased Sujatha Weerakoone, Director General of EDB on January 22.
EDB Director General Weerakoone was addressing "Exporting to Korea" event, organised and held at the EDB. The session was honoured by a 16 member strong South Korean undergrad delegation led by Prof. Bell C.J. Park of Myongji University, South Korea, who made a presentation. Also in attendance were more than 100 reps from various Sri Lankan exporters.
Myongji University in Korea in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Korea, will be sending a student delegation to Sri Lanka from 20th – 27th January, 2014.
The delegation consists of Professor Bell J.C. Park, a faculty member of the International Trade Department of the Business Administration College at Myognji University, and 15 university students whose major interest is international trade business.
Sri Lanka has achieved the highest ever revenue from tea exports in 2013 realizing a total revenue of Rs. 199.4 billion surpassing the previous best of Rs.180.4 billion in 2012, recent statistics from a leading tea brokerage firm showed. The record revenue was realized despite the island exporting lesser quantity of tea from January – December 2013 where cumulative tea exports totalled 319.6M/kgs, showing a marginal decrease of 0.28M/kgs vis-à-vis 319.9M/kgs of 2012.
The sixth Footwear and Leather Fair is to be held from February 7 to 9 featuring over 200 stalls.
The event, organized by the Export Development Board (EDB), the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Industrial Development Board and the Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufacturers’ Association (SLFLPMA), is expected to provide a platform for Sri Lankan footwear and leather products exporters, manufacturers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to showcase their talents and capabilities locally and globally.
Sri Lanka’s second largest trade partner in SAARC is hungry for more Lankan exports in the coming year-while also closely looking at Sri Lanka’s sugar sector for entry! ”Pakistan’s new GSP with EU is an opportunity for Sri Lankan exporters and they can do more things. In fact, we should jointly explore whatever is possible within the rules and regulations of these new developments!” stressed an upbeat Major Genenral Qasim Qureshi (Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka) on 07 January in Colombo.
High Commissioner Qureshi was addressing Rishad Bathiudeen Minister of Industry and Commerce on 07 January during his new-year courtesy call on Minister Bathiudeen at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce premises in Colombo 03.
Sri Lanka’s second largest trade partner in SAARC is looking for more Lankan exports in the coming year, while also eyeing Sri Lanka’s sugar sector entry,
”Pakistan’s new GSP with EU is an opportunity for Sri Lankan exporters, and they can do more things. In fact, we should jointly explore whatever is possible within the rules and regulations of t hese new developments, said Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Major General Qasim Qureshi, addressing Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen during his new-year courtesy call on the Minister.
Export cess on rare earth/mineral sand were introduced to safeguard our industries –and no less than seven firms are now active in automotive assembly industry in Sri Lanka. “To safeguard domestic industries and to ensure a continuous supply of raw materials for local industries, we introduced exports cess on selected items. And seven companies have ventured into the automobile assembly industry with a local value addition exceeding 30%” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 10 December.
