The EDB in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sri Lanka Embassy in Manila, Philippines organised a trade promotion program which consisted of a training, exposure visit, B2B meetings and product display at the Manila FAME 2019 exhibition for a group of 10 export potential SME manufacturers recently.
They were selected under 2,000 new exporters development program of the EDB and are engaged in the giftware and lifestyle sector.
FAME is a Design and Lifestyle Event and Asia’s premier trade platform for export and design, providing opportunities for small and medium scale entrepreneurs.
The Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Manila, Mrs. Shobini Gunasekera, Minister / Head of Chancery, Mrs. Thanuja Dissanayake and officials of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Manila were also present.
The SME entrepreneurs visited design centers in Marikina and Quezon City.
At the networking session, the Sri Lankan delegation got an opportunity to make successful trade contacts with the buyer delegations from USA, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Some the SMEs had B2B meetings with Filipino exhibitors and supermarket chains to learn the background and how to market their products to the foreign markets and retail stores. The Sri Lankan participants were also able to explore the current market, price ranges, giftware and lifestyle products available in the market, consumer choices etc.
The one-day training at the Design Centre of the Philippines focused on the development, promotion and enhancement of design for giftware and lifestyle products including intellectual property briefing.
The 10 SME companies were Eco Envi Lanka, Rajanima Craft, Greens Flower Design, Xylo Industries, Kalutara Ceramic, Hasitha Handicraft, Pranaya, SAP Kultura, Kithula, and Jaffna Palmyrah Handicrafts.
Some of them have already executed sample orders for wine bottle racks, ceramic oil burners, coasters and place-mats, elephants made out of wood, coconut bowls, nature dry flowers and flower decorations to the USA, Istanbul, Philippines, and Sweden to the value of USD 16,155.