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‘Ransalu,’ the national handloom show and one of Sri Lanka’s longest events running for 21 years, has now been upgraded and expanded.
“It is time that we begin to harmonise disparate handloom, textile, powerlooms and apparel and fabric sub sectors. The 22nd Ransalu event this December has now been expanded to a national apparel, handlooms and textile industry event,” announced Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka on 3 November.
Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the stakeholder meeting held this month on forthcoming Ransalu exhibition to be held in December in Colombo.
Representatives from Sri Lanka’s handloom industry, fashion designers and trainers, academics from University of Moratuwa, Minister Bathiudeen’s Ministry and its SLITA, the Export Development Board and the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Economic Development and many other stakeholders were present at this meeting.
The National Handloom Exhibition Ransalu has been organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce since the show started way back in 1991.
The exhibition includes dance troupes and cultural shows and along with a long tradition of the event – lifetime achievement awards given to committed weavers and technicians across the country.
“I am pleased to inform you that in keeping with our handloom revival, for the first time the National Textile and Apparel Exhibition series ‘Ransalu’ by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, scheduled this December has been expanded to fabric, textiles and apparel products along with the participation of tourism sector with participation of local public and overseas reps as well.
“I believe that the new scope of the exhibition highlights our expanding handloom sector thanks to the vision of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” said Bathiudeen.
“The handloom sector is a strong antidote for unemployment and underemployment in our rural economy.
It’s also a livelihood means for unemployed war widows and the entrepreneurial youth in the North and Eastern regions.”
Sri Lanka’s handloom sector is one of the most low cost but high earning industries. Its annual production exceeds six million metres of looms with an 
estimated annual production value of Rs. 1,500 million ($ 13.19 million), all of which are greatly in demand by both local and international markets.
The production is labour intensive and the industry consumes less electricity and utilities while generating higher employment. At present, there are 511 weaving centres with 2,971 weavers and more than 10,000 looms in Sri Lanka assisted by 22 dying houses.
More than 15,000 personnel are engaged in the handloom industry. The key Lankan provinces for handlooms are the Wayamba, Western, and Central provinces. The Eastern regions of Sri Lanka too were reputed for handlooms but the 2004 Tsunami disaster inflicted damage on the eastern production but despite this, eastern handlooms continue to command buyer appeal.
The handloom textile export target for 2011 set by the EDB under the Ministry of Industries is US $ 1.29 million (Rs. 146 million). Among the international markets that vie for Sri Lankan handlooms are Italy, Germany, France, UK, Norway, Netherlands, Maldives and Thailand.
