Lecture on Lanka-Russia trade opportunities

A presentation on 'Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Russia' organised by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka will be held on Wednesday from 3.00 to 4.30 p.m at the Chamber Auditorium, D R Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10.

The guest speaker, Ambassador of Russia in Sri Lanka, Alexander Karachava, will speak on current business trends, trade potential, opportunities for export, import, investment and other services available for Sri Lankans in Russia. There will be a session where the participants will discuss and interact with the Ambassador and other officials of the Russian Embassy.

Sri Lanka's exports to Russia include tea, readymade garments, rubber and rubber products, coconut and coconut products, machinery, gems and jewellery, ceramicware and leather products.

Russian exports to Sri Lanka are steel, ferrous metal ware, newsprint, asbestos, fertiliser, electrical equipment for metallurgical works, petroleum, textile fabrics, foodstuff and machinery and transportation equipment.

Russia will provide infrastructure facilities to develop Sri Lanka's agro industries, including vegetable and fruit cultivation and production of liquid milk said a news release from the Deputy Agricultural Minister of the Russian Federation who is in Sri Lanka.

The Russian Federation is the largest of the 21 Republics that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia is the world's largest country by landmass. The capital and largest city is Moscow with a population of 11,514,300.

Russia and Sri Lanka enjoy gradual growth of bilateral trade. Since 2002 Russia has been the leading importer of Sri Lankan tea. In 2006 Russia imported 59.2 million kg of tea valued at USD $149 million.