Sri Lanka gears for Expo 2012

by Gamini WARUSHAMANA

Sri Lankan exports grew by 42 percent during the first five months of the year. The performance is encouraging and our exports to new markets too are growing, said Chairman Export Development Board (EDB) Janaka Ratnayake.

He was addressing the media at the launch of the official logo and website (www.srilankaexpo.com) for Expo ‘2012, the international export exhibition scheduled for March 28-30 2012.

Ratnayake said that Sri Lankan textiles and apparel exports to matured EU and US markets grew by 52 per cent in 2010 and the growth momentum continues.

The market is gradually shifting over time from traditional to new emerging markets. Exports to China, India, Indonesia and Singapore are increasing.

EDB targets $ 15 billion exports by 2015. In 2009 our total exports were at Rs. 7.1 billion and it increased by 17 percent to 8.17 billion in 2010.

Expo 2012 will be the largest Sri Lankan international trade fair after 14 years. The last expo exhibition was held in 1997. EDB expects over 300 exporters to showcase their products and services at this exhibition and over, 1000 serious buyers and trade delegations from traditional markets as well as new markets Ratnayake said.

Ratnayake said that equal opportunities have been given to the SME sector at the exhibition.

The sector is a major partner in the export trade and the objective of the government is to facilitate it to be large scale producers and exporters. Most large scale exporters started as SMEs and EDB facilitated them to grow. By 2015 SMEs will hold 25 percent of our total exports, he said.