The Export Development Board (EDB) has set up regional centres to support exporters at provincial level and increase the contribution of provinces to the export revenue of the country.
So far four such centres have been set up in the South, North Central and Northern regions to promote exports in the regions through training and awareness programs.
“We have seen immense enthusiasm from exporters in the provinces who are keen to get to the next level of exports from micro to small and medium scale and then the larger category,” said Export Development Board (EDB), Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe. The apex export promotion body aims at taking the outreach program which commenced in Matara, Kurunegala, Kegalle and Polonnaruwa to all other regions covering all provinces in the country.
“We saw only around five exporters in Polonnaruwa which is not sufficient to boost the export sector of the country. We are targeting one regional export centre at provincial level each month to provide support to exporters,” Wijesinghe said.
On global level to drive exports the EDB with the foreign ambassadors has launched a programme to increase exports through the Sri Lankan embassies across key markets in the world.
“We will diversify our export basket and get the support of all embassies to capture niche markets for our products,” he said.
Plans are in place to hold the Japan investor forum in Colombo in September this year and around 50 trade fairs world over to showcase Sri Lanka’s product and service range including rubber, apparels, gem and jewellery and ICT, according to the EDM Chairman.
On the progress of talks with the US on tariffs Wijesinghe said there has been good progress in both rounds of talks between Sri Lanka and the US officials and hopefully Sri Lanka will reap the rewards of it soon.
Sri Lanka’s exports to the United States reached $260.18 million, representing 23% of its total merchandise exports in January this year. The US has consistently been Sri Lanka’s primary export destination although trade has been in favour of Sri Lanka which is one of the primary reason for the Trump regime to impose reciprocal tariffs to balance trade.
The EDB aims at an export income target of US$ 18.2 billion this year with US$ 14.5 billion to come from merchandise exports and US$ 4.5 billion from services exports.
Export sector demonstrated remarkable resilience and steady progress during the first four months of 2025, with export income reaching US$ 5,583.25 million, a 6.9% growth compared to the corresponding period last year.
