Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
For the first time in Sri Lanka, successful captive breeding of Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus) has been recorded in the Polonnaruwa district recently. The species is considered as a high valued ornamental fish in the international market and the local market as well.
The second edition of international conference on Fisheries and Aquaculture exhibition 2015 organized by the International Institute of Knowledge Management will be held from August 25 - 26, 2015 at Hotel Galadari.
The conference is co-hosted by World Aquaculture Society, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency and Export Development Board.
Sri Lanka’s ornamental fish sector is basking in the glow of international spotlight having bagged many top awards for its diversity-and O-Fish sector is one of highest return on investment sectors, as revealed on 03 June in Colombo.
Sri Lanka has earned USD 7.34 billion from exports up to August this year, recording a positive growth of 14 per cent when compared to the corresponding period in 2013, said Sri Lanka Export Development Board Chairman cum Chief Executive Officer Bandula Egodage.
Addressing a gathering at the First International Ornamental Fish Trade Conference in Colombo yesterday he said despite many constraints and challenges faced by local exports domestically and internationally, the willingness shown by them to sustain continuous growth was commendable.
Sri Lanka has earned over Rs 1.2 billion last year from exporting ornamental fish and measures will be taken to double this income by 2016, the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry says.
Sri Lanka's ornamental fish production had produced over 46,000 metric tons in 2009 and this amount has increased to nearly 70,000 metric tons last year, placing Sri Lanka in the third place in exporting ornamental fishes, according to the Ministry.
Morocco has shown keen interest to boost trade and industrial cooperation with Sri Lanka.
“We need to expand our bilateral trade as well as our industrial cooperation. Investors from both countries can also enter into joint ventures in many sectors; we are strong in rubber and fishery -technologies that Sri Lanka can benefit from us considerably,” said Moroccan Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Larbi Reffouch during his recent meeting with Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen at the Export Development Board.
The growth of bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Austria, despite the economic recession in Europe and the steady increase in direct foreign investment from Austria augur well for the future of relations between Sri Lanka and Austria, External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris said.
He said this during a meeting on Tuesday with Austria's Vice Chancellor (Deputy Prime Minster) and European and International Affairs Minister Dr Michael Spindelegge at the Foreign Ministry in Vienna.
The ministers noted that Austrian companies are showing increasing interest in bidding for major infrastructure development projects, while others have already undertaken construction projects in Sri Lanka, including the Greater Colombo sewerage system rehabilitation project.
Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday revealed that Sri Lanka have more than 2% share of the global ornamental fish market which is around US$ 340 million. “We are also now recognised as one of the best ornamental fish suppliers to the international market.”
Bathiudeen was addressing the press briefing held at the Export Development Board (EDB) to announce Sri Lanka’s strong achievements at the AQUARAMA 2013 event in Singapore.
More than 300 competitors from 10 countries, submitting 1,350 entries, were taking part in the highly competitive AQUARAMA 2013 international ornamental fishery event held in Singapore from 28 May to 2 June.
Seventeen Sri Lankan firms, facilitated and sponsored by EDB, competing in the event won 30 awards, which was symbolically re-awarded by Minister Bathiudeen with his praise, yesterday.
