EDB ups online promotion efforts

• Partners with Foreign Ministry and overseas missions for promotions 
• Aims creating trade linkages between Sri Lanka and rest of world
• Meetings held cover Americas, EU, ME, Asia for potential product sectors

Export promotions are set to continue despite the resurgence of COVID-19, as the Export Development Board (EDB) has embarked on a number of initiatives to shift the efforts online.

The EDB yesterday announced that it has partnered with the Foreign Ministry and overseas Sri Lankan missions to promote the local export sectors. 

Online sessions under the fresh initiative have already kicked off, enabling foreign buyers to meet with the local export industry players.

“The online promotions are carried out with the objective of creating trade linkages between Sri Lanka and the rest of the world, as it is imperative to sustain the nation’s export promotional activities in spite of severe challenges caused by COVID-19,” said EDB Director General Chitranjali Dissanayake.

She shared that the Sri Lankan missions overseas have taken on the responsibility to introduce potential buyers and importers for selected products.

The series of meetings covered all the regions, such as the Americas, EU, Middle East and Asia, for the identified potential product sectors, Dissanayake added.

For the Americas region, virtual B2B meetings were carried out with mainly from the USA, Brazil and Chile, for product sectors such as personal protective equipment (PPE), tea, cinnamon, curry leaves, coconut oil, beer, fabrics, lingerie, shapewear and coir-related products.

Similar meetings were facilitated focusing on markets such as Singapore, for stationary and educational toys, Poland, for apparel and spices and Japan, for coir-related products, cocopeat, Ayurveda and herbal cosmetics.
The EDB shared that China, South Korea and Pakistan are the next areas of focus.

While much emphasis is currently on promoting agriculture-related products, efforts are underway to create opportunities for industrial products as well.

Boatbuilding was identified as one such area by the export promotion agency, where Denmark, Turkey and Oman are being explored to collaborate with.

For high-value exports, the EDB, in partnership with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand, is on the lookout for avenues to create linkages between Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTEC) and auto/battery manufacturers in that region.

The EDB shared that it would continue to analyse and study new markets for Sri Lanka to enter into, so that it can diversify its market and basket.