CBSL’s ‘Diriyata Saviyak’ trade fair helps SMEs to prosper

20 April 2015 08:09 am

Text and pix by P.D. De Silva 
“‘Diriyata Saviyak’ organised by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) Southern Province branch for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs (SMEs) of Galle, Matara and Hambantota Districts was not just another Sinhala New Year fair but a trade exhibition where buyers met sellers,”  emphasized CBSL Southern Province Branch Manager Upali Hettiarachchi at a media briefing held recently. 
“The trade fair we held last December was a great success at which one exhibitor received an order for 25,000 bottles of Maldive fish sambol per month, while other exhibitors clinched smaller deals.
There are 5254 SMEs in the Southern Province. Of these, 4673 could be considered as micro enterprises (one to four employees), 533 as small enterprises (five to 29 employees) and 78 as medium-scale enterprises (30 to 149 employees). 
The CBSL provided the stalls free of charge giving the SMEs the opportunity to participate and prosper as the SMEs play a major role in the country’s economy,” he said. 
CBSL Deputy Governor Dr. W.M. Hemachandra was the chief guest at the ‘Diriyata Saviyak’ trade fair while District Secretary C. Widanagamachchi was the guest of honour at the event, which opened on April 2 and ended on April 5.