The Export Development Board (EDB), the apex body driving exports, is creating an enabling environment to organise business links between Sri Lankan exporters and foreign business parties through virtual B2B (Business to Business) meetings, EDB Chairman Prabhash Subasinghe said last week.
He said these meetings will be conducted in close coordination with Sri Lanka Missions overseas. The first virtual B2B meeting was held with a Brazilian company on June 11. Measures are also being taken by the EDB with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brazil to organise a series of virtual B2B meetings and webinars for other industries as well.
The EDB in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Embassy in China, has engaged with a potential service provider in China to set up a virtual Sri Lanka pavilion for one year to facilitate B2B meetings.
The EDB has selected 15 product sectors to organise virtual B2B meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Sri Lanka Missions; electrical and electronics, boat building, ceramic and porcelain, coconut products, ayurveda and spa products and printing sectors will be considered for the initial round of B2Bs.
The EDB is also planning to organise Sri Lanka’s participation in virtual trade fairs in selected markets considering the constraints in organising physical participation in such events due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the export promotion body launched a digital export promotion program last week to address the negative impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on exports.
The EDB will conduct digital promotion programs in key export destinations such as Japan, USA, China, UK and EU countries, Canada, the American region, Africa, Middle Eastern countries, countries in Asian and the Oceania region, Finland and Sweden in collaboration with Sri Lanka Missions and the Ministry of Foreign Relations and other agencies.
Several digital promotion programs have already been conducted in Sri Lanka’s key markets including the USA and Brazil.
“The scheduled physical export promotion programs of the EDB are on hold due to the global pandemic, and instead new promotional activities are being accelerated. Hence digital promotions will be conducted during the next two quarters of this year,” Subasinghe said.
A new web page has been created in the EDB website www.srilankabusiness.com and 59 reports have already been published on the main markets for export products.
This information was also circulated to export companies through trade chambers, product associations and by direct email.