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Wednesday, 6 June 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Charumini de Silva
The Export Development Board (EDB), the apex body for exports in the country, will launch its provincial office in Jaffna tomorrow in a bid to encourage domestic enterprises to invest in export industries and facilitate regional entrepreneurs to explore new business opportunities.
Located at the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) Building Secretariat, Forest Office Lane, Chundikkuli, Jaffna, the new provincial office will be opened at a ceremony where Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran will serve as the Chief Guest. Northern Province Chief Secretary A. Pathinathan, Jaffna District Secretary N. Vethanayahan, EDB Chairperson and Chief Executive Indira Malwatte and officials from the state and private sector will also participate in the opening ceremony.
In addition to the opening of the new provincial office, the EDB will commence training new entrepreneurs from the peninsula in four identified potential sectors: palmyrah-based products, processed food, fisheries and ICT/BPM in the Northern Province for export development.
“Keeping in line with the Government’s economic vision to transform Sri Lanka into a vibrant and prosperous nation through export-led growth, we embarked on a national program to nurture 2,000 new entrepreneurs to enter the global export market which will result in many trickle-down benefits to the economy,” EDB Chairperson Indira Malwatte told the Daily FT.
“The 35 entrepreneurs in Jaffna were selected through a process and we will now hold their hands until they become successful exporters.”
A workshop to develop business plans will be held on 7 and 8 June at the Jaffna Public Library Auditorium for the benefit of these 35 entrepreneurs who have been registered under the 2,000 new exporter development program.
EDB held the first awareness program in Jaffna in March 2017, with over 250 entrepreneurs participating, while many of them participated at various export products exhibitions and business clinics organised by the EDB. Similarly, the EDB launched a program in Kurunegala to train 28 entrepreneurs.
A special discussion will be chaired by Chief Minister Vigneswaran with the participation of senior government officials of the Northern Province on the possibility of obtaining their assistance for future export development activities planned to be carried out from 2018-2020.
Furthermore, there will be a meeting with business leaders in the Northern Province to create awareness of the opportunities of the export sector and how to increase aware of the assistance and facilities provided by government organisations for the export industry with a view to encourage them to venture into export industries.
