Sri Lanka moots industrial forum

Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce with Asitha Seneviratne, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (far left) and Tilak Collure, Secretary-Ministry of Industry and Commerce (third from left) listen as a participant highlights an industry issue.

Sri Lanka is mooting an Industrial Forum on the style of recently revived Exporters' Forum. "We are now planning an industrial forum to facilitate issues faced by our industries. I will also record more details on the pharmaceutical manufacturing zone in due course" said Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen.

The industrial forum also functions as an entry point for the higher level Exporters' Forum.

"Once it's established, it may become the preliminary round before the Exporters Forum said, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce Asitha Seneviratne.

The October 21 pre-budget consultation was an initial round aimed at 2012 budget and focused on various industry-specific issues.

The issues are, among others, the need for minimum and maximum wage structures for industries in the country, SME issues availability of loans and other banking facilities for the country's SMEs and TIEP- Temporary Importation for Export Processing Scheme related issues, packaging chemical industry, boating industry, spice industry, food industry, rubber industry, shipping and pharmaceutical manufacturing.