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by Lalin Fernandopulle

Though Sri Lanka has been doing well in exporting ceramic products since 2002 orders have begun to drop rapidly. This is because the stakeholders did not have a vision for the ceramic industry, President Sri Lanka Ceramics Council, D. Warnakulasooriya said.

He was addressing a workshop on "Raw Materials Processing Improvement" organised by the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council in Colombo on Tuesday.

In exporting ceramic products we have been ahead of many Asian countries but today we have to compete not only with China but also with Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, Warnakulasooriya said.

Cost of production in Sri Lanka is extremely high and local manufacturers have to face immense difficulties in purchasing the raw material. Local raw materials are very good for the ceramic industry but subsequently the quality had fallen short of the required standards due to bad processing. If the raw material could be sourced in Sri Lanka it would be more profitable than importing. This would help us not only in the manufacture of ceramic products but also in the import of raw materials.

There is a future for Sri Lanka's ceramic industry provided we go for sophisticated ceramic ware. Additional Director General BOI Dr. Bandula Perera said exports of ceramic products have dropped drastically and yet some policymakers believe that we do not need to manufacture which is totally a misconception.

Singapore not only markets its goods and services but also gives priority to manufacture raw material with value addition. Industrial activities are confined to the Colombo and Gampaha districts and the rural sector lags far behind industrial development.

The need to take industrial development to the rural sector is stated in the Mahinda Chinthanaya and this would help the rural masses to improve their livelihood, Perera said. We have to pay the price for not developing local raw material. According to Dr. Wadiya's report there are many deposits in Sri Lanka. The task has to be done differently with the cooperation of the private sector.

There is lack of research and development in the industrial sector which is the cause for the rampant decline in the development of the country. In 2000 the research and development figure in Sri Lanka was 0.18 per cent of the GDP whereas in Singapore it is 2.1 per cent of the GDP, Perera said.

It is therefore necessary that businesses run the way they should with the cooperation of the private and State sector so that future generations would reap the benefits of development.

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