Keep Abreast With the Exports and Exporters in Sri Lanka

On a promotional visit to enhance Sri Lanka’s exports to Italian market under EU-GSP+ concessions and the investment potentials, Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe addressed Sri Lanka Business Forum organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Italy, Sri Lanka Consulate in Milan and the EDB, in association with Associazione Italiana Commercio Esterocalled AICE in Milan. This forum was held at the auditorium of AICE on 17th of October where it was attended over 70 potential buyers, importers, investors and the chamber representatives in Milan. AICE in Milan, having more than 70 years of history, has been helping Italian and foreign companies to do mutual business in Italy.

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are playing an increasingly important role in the implementation of the digitalisation of economic activities and trade which can support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalisation and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to ICT-enabled financial services.

The 2017 edition of the annual World Export Development Forum (WEDF) kicks off today in Budapest, Hungary under the theme ‘Trade – A Force for Good: Include, Innovate, Integrate’.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) jointly organized a Business Seminar on "Explore Business Opportunities through Hong Kong" on Friday, 29th September, 2017 at Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka.

A 15-member delegation led by Myoung-jin Shin, Chairman and CEO of the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), visited Sri Lanka earlier this month on the invitation of the Sri Lanka Embassy in South Korea and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) to explore business and investment opportunities in diverse areas.

The EDB entered into a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts with a view to supporting particularly export oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by obtaining services of PUM experts from mainly Europe in the areas of technology transfer, process improvement, product development, capacity building and training needs.

Sri Lanka’s most innovative bank, HNB PLC working in close collaboration with the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka (EDB) announced the launch of HNB SME Export Credit, a pioneering new facility specially designed to meet the requirements and aspirations of Sri Lanka’s burgeoning Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.

The EDB organised a seminar in association with the Export Product Associations on ‘Renewed Opportunities in EU Market’ with the objective of making the Sri Lankan export community aware of the opportunities under the EU GSP+ concessions when exporting to European Region.

Lakmini Wijesundera Sandra Wanduragala 

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board organised a half day seminar on the theme ‘Development of Women Entrepreneurs to the International Market’ at the EDB Auditorium, Colombo 02, on 25 May with the objective of creating awareness among women entrepreneurs on business opportunities in the international market, as part of the overall program for developing 2,000 new exporters by 2020.

The Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) conducted the first national symposium for Sri Lanka’s National Export Strategy (NES) with more than 150 public and private sector representatives to plan the next export growth cycle of the country.

Following is the message by Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama, delivered to mark Sri Lanka’s First National Export Strategy Symposium held at the Temple Trees.

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation springing right from that origin. To be qualified as a GI, a sign must identify a product unequivocally as originating in a given place Agricultural products typically...

Sri Lanka holds the monopoly for Ceylon Cinnamon or true cinnamon, the celebrated spice that changed the human history forever. Made from the bark of the small evergreen tree called Cinnamomum zelanicum, Ceylon Cinnamon’s unique fragrance and taste, as well as its remarkably low amounts of coumarin, had made it one of the most sought after spices made in Sri Lanka, ever since the world discovered the many uses of Ceylon Cinnamon.

The Government is preparing to revamp entreport schemes for re-exporting key spices from Sri Lanka including pepper, cloves, nutmeg and mace to protect Sri Lanka’s reputation for quality while banning cinnamon imports.      

The proposal spearheaded by the Primary Industries Ministry has already received Cabinet approval and aims to put in place several fresh policies to ensure that spices re-exported from Colombo port are not diluted or incorrectly labelled as originating from Sri Lanka.

A purpose-built cinnamon training academy was inaugurated in Kosgoda on Tuesday to serve as a catalyst for heightened competitiveness in Sri Lanka's cinnamon sector at a global level.

A result of a unique public-private partnership between United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) Standard Trade Development Facility (STDF) project in cooperation with The Spice Council (TSC) of Sri Lanka.

Once a jealously-guarded secret of the North Mexican Totonac tribe, who believed in a divine connection between the Vanilla orchid and their tribal deities, vanilla was introduced to Europe by Spanish conquistadors, who are also ironically credited with the introduction of chocolate.

Until the 19th century the global vanilla demand was exclusively met by the Mexican as the first attempts at growing vanilla outside Mexico proved ineffective due to the symbiotic relationship between the vanilla orchid and its natural pollinator, a local species of bee.

Pure Ceylon Cinnamon or true cinnamon, as it is known across the world today, carries many health benefits backed by scientific and medical research.

Among its most celebrated health benefits is the cinnamon's ability to control blood sugar. According to the latest medical research cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon is capable of reducing the blood sugar level by 3-5%, similar to the early generation of diabetes medication. A combination of Ceylon Cinnamon, healthy diet and regular exercise is recommended as an ideal pre-diabetic life style to prevent the development of type-2 diabetes.

Sri Lanka, India and many other Asian countries have a history of concocting spice condiments with home-grown spices to enhance the flavour of their ethnic dishes. Made mainly with fresh ingredients, these spice mixtures include numerous curry powders, curry pastes and sauces, made to a time-tested recipe.

Most of Eastern curry powders are made by grinding coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, dill, sweet cumin, chilli, ginger, curry leaf, mustard, garcinia, clove, black pepper, garlic, screw pine, lemon grass and cardamom into a mixture, and are usually used in preparation of vegetables, lentils and yams.

Pure Ceylon Cinnamon, known as the spice of life, has been an important part of human life since the beginning of history and Sri Lanka as the source of the world's best cinnamon has been wrapped in Myths and legends

The first records on sweet cinnamon or Pure Ceylon Cinnamon in History appears in the Hebrew Bible as an essential ingredient in consecrated incense and even the new testament mentions cinnamon's fragrance in proverb 7:17, "I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon ".

Cardamom, the queen of spice, with a sweet mixture of aroma and flavour, is the third most expensive spice in the world spice market second only to saffron and vanilla.

Part of the ancient family of spices, cardamom was used as a tooth cleaner by ancient Egyptians, while the Greeks and Romans used cardamom as a source of fragrance in perfumes and air fresheners. Ancient Chinese and Indian herbal medication also involved cardamom as a main ingredient and were among the main cultivators of cardamom.