|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 4 August 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Pro Foods 2002 : The true taste of Asia Pro Foods 2002, the international food and beverage event, will be held from August 9 to 11 at the BMICH. The mega event, a first in Sri Lanka, will consist of an exhibition, technical sessions and a food fiesta. Sri Lanka Food Awards of Excellence 2001, Cleaner Dining Colombo, Cleaner Dining workshop, Hawker Street, BIMST-EC expert group meeting on the processed foods sub-sector and the 'Jathika Pola' will be held as concurrent events. "It will not only attract people from the processed food industry, but also the people of Sri Lanka who enjoy the true taste of Asia," said Chairman Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA), Mario De Alwis. The exhibition and seminar are organised to felicitate Sri Lanka's role as chairman of the BIMST-EC Forum (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand) 2002-2005. "This event will also promote Sri Lanka as the hub for processed food in the region and internationally. It will create awareness and expose national and regional companies to best practices and standards while developing bilateral trade between processed food industries of the BIMST-EC Forum and promoting intra-regional investment," said De Alwis. Secretary to the Ministry of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy, Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs, Ranjit Fernando said the market for processed food is huge and growing. At present it is valued at US$ 120 billion. He said that since the Government is a signatory to the World Trade Organisation agreement, "we cannot introduce any tariff or non-tariff barriers to protect the industry". However, consumers can boost the industry by purchasing the products which will result in increased employment while stopping the drain of foreign exchange from the country. The exhibition will have 150 stalls, of which 14 will be from BIMST-EC countries. A highlight will be the Jathika Pola, where people from the Dambulla regional economic centre, Welimada, Bandarawela and Monaragala centre will get the opportunity to interact with consumers and also see how food items are packed and displayed. The event is organised by the SLFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Industrial Development, Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Agribusiness Council. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
