The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) held the second program to create awareness for Central Province entrepreneurs on developing 2,000 new exporters by 2020 at the Central Provincial Council Auditorium, Pallekele, Kandy recently.
The EDB will assist the regional entrepreneurs to groom them to become exporters under the program. The Government having identified the need to develop exports as one of the key strategies for Sri Lanka to ensure greater prosperity for the people launched this program to maximize the utilization of regional resources to the export supply chain and to increase the SME sector contribution to exports particularly from regional areas.
The State Minister of International Trade Sujeewa Senesinghe, Chief Minister of the Central province Sarath Ekanayeka, Opposite Leader of the Central Province, Chanaka Illeperuma, Members of Central Provincial Council Chitra Manthilake, .Shanthini Kongahage, S. Rajarathnam and Ms. Jeevani Siriwardena, Director General of the Export Development Board and District Secretaries of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Matale were also present.
The Central Province with an abundance of natural resources in terms of minerals, agricultural produce, not forgetting the cultural and human resources, offers innumerable opportunities for the development of agro-based industries.
Value-addition by further processing agricultural products and spices, gem and jewellery, ornaments, flowers and ornamental plants, processed food, information technology and telecommunications services are also recognized as potential sectors for new entrepreneurs.
This awareness seminar enabled participating entrepreneurs from the Central Province to network and establish partnership to discuss their business activities in joining the 2,000 exporters program.
The Bank of Ceylon as the banking Partner of the Program presented their services to the entrepreneurs
The officials of the Central Provincial Council Secretariat led by the Chief Secretary helped to host the event.