Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama speaks at the first plenary of the World Export Development Forum in Budapest yesterday (25-10-2017)
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.
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.
The EDB conducted a Forum on Entrepót Trade with the participation of a large number of traders/exporters and others engaged in the Entrepót trade. Sri Lanka Logistics & Freight Forwarders’ Association (SLFFA), Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council (SLSC), Shippers Academy Colombo and several public sector institutions relevant to the trade including Sri Lanka Customs, Ports Authority and BOI collaborated with EDB in organizing the Entrepót Traders’ Forum held at EDB Auditorium on 13th July 2017.
The EDB organized a seminar on “Export opportunities in the Pakistan Market” with the objective of increasing awareness of the market opportunities available in the Pakistan market for Sri Lankan products.
Delegates comprising seven sourcing directors who represent five companies in Oman on the initiation of the EDB and in coordination with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oman most of whom own Hypermarket chains had B2B meetings with 45 Sri Lankan exporters ......
The Export Development Board (EDB) organised Sri Lanka’s participation at the ‘SIAL Canada 2017’ from 2-4 May in Toronto Canada in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Consulate in Toronto and the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada.
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.
Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, The Honourable Malik Samarawickrama together with the Chairperson and Chief Executive of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) Mrs. Indira Malwatte met with the organizing committee and sub committee members, as well as sponsors and partners for a progress review meeting of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2016.
“This is one of the biggest events the new Government has undertaken,” Minister Samarawickrama stated, “And we are well on track to making it an exceptional global conference.” As of the date of this meeting, the conference had 361 registered foreign participants, and 282 registered local participants, a number that is rapidly growing, with more registrations expected within the one-month countdown for the event.
Algeria is inviting Sri Lankan businesses to export tea, fruit and vegetable juices and many other products to that country, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce announced.
This invitation was made by Echarif Mohammed-Hacene, Ambassador for Algeria in Sri Lanka and India, when he visited the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, accompanied by Consul General for Algeria in Sri Lanka, Mukthar Marikkar.
He held a meeting with CEO/Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Harin Malwatte, while Lilakshi De Mel, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Chamber, was also present. During the meeting, the ambassador said, Sri Lanka can exports items such as, tea, fruits and vegetable juices, textiles, garments specially semi-finished traditional garments for women and spices.
Ambassador Echarif says, the Algerian consumers prefer to drink blended tea with mint and sugar and also would like to purchase tea in consumer bags.
As Lanka's exports to Japan topped $ 223 Mn mark, Sri Lanka is mulling a strategic, fast-track entry to one of the most coveted online markets in the world-Japan. "Japan is the second biggest retail market in the world. Japanese are also heavy internet users with a large e-commerce base. Using a top Japanese online giant like Rakuten could give Lankan exporters a wide-coverage and a low cost entry to this promising market" said Sujatha Weerakoone (DG-EDB) on 02 May at EDB premises.
DG Weerakoone was addressing the EDB organized event "Japan's Rakuten Platform for Sri Lankan Products" held for Lankan exporters on 02 May at EDB. The session consisted of a special in-depth presentation by Japan's Kanagawa based Takashi Yoshino (Principal, Y and F Associates LLC) who, in a his presentation, shoed in-depth of the pros and cons, and how to create an online strategy for Lankan exporters to Japan. Eager representatives from more than 40 Lankan export firms were present at the session.
The only country in the world to be surrounded by another country and also described as Africa’s Switzerland, is now to initiate multi-faceted bilateral ties with Sri Lanka.
“We can begin our bilateral trade with Ceylon Tea exports to Lesotho. Then we can proceed to agriculture cooperation” said an upbeat Bothata Tsikoane, the New Delhi based High Commissioner of Lesotho for Sri Lanka.
The Lesotho envoy made these observations while meeting Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka on 25 April at the Export Development Board offices in Colombo during his first courtesy call made on Minister Bathiudeen.
The Fadna Cinnamon Tea, produced and distributed by Food and Nature Company was recently awarded the Pure Ceylon Cinnamon Quality certificate by Sri Lanka Export Development Board. This certification which is awarded only for highest quality export products is granted on the recommendation of a committee of experts appoined by the SLEDB. Here Minister of Industries and Commerce Rishard Bathiudeen awards the certificate to the Marketing Manager of the Food and Nature Company, Udara Mangala at a ceremony at the SLEDB
In the wake of record exports in 2013, Pure Ceylon Tea has reported yet another achievement, with Basilur Tea Canada, allied to its Lankan firm Basilur Tea, clinching the main award at North America’s top food and beverages trade show this year.
“Basilur’s herbal tea product ‘Fruit Infusions’ received the highest award – the 2014 Top-10 Product Award – at the SIAL Canada expo. This is considered by many food industry specialists as a very rare achievement since Basilur has reached the Top-10 twice within three years,” said Basilur Tea Canada Director Rohan Perera on Thursday.
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.
