Embassy of SL in Ankara organises interactive webinar and business matchmaking on Lankan spice sector

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ankara organised an information sharing webinar and business

networking session on the spice sector in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and ‘Turkey-Sri Lanka Business Council’ on 16 December. The aim of the

webinar was to share information on the uniqueness of the Ceylon spices specially ‘Ceylon

Cinnamon’ and increase the exports from Sri Lanka to Turkish markets and also to connect

potential Turkish importers and traders with the Sri Lankan exporters.

Ambassador M. Rizvi Hassen, Turkey-Sri Lanka Business Council Member Mahmut

Uluer, and Sri Lanka Export Development Board Director Malani Baddegamage made remarks and informative presentation highlighting the strengths of Sri Lanka in this sector. More than 17 Turkish importers including Turkish Spice Packagers Association (Ambalajlı Baharat Üreticileri Derneği) Chairman Mustafa Aydın Acun, Deputy Chairman Anibal Atilla Rua, Deputy Chairman Emin Demirci and General Secretary Ayşegül Keskin Aydın joined the session.

During the virtual meeting Ambassador Rizvi Hassen, while giving a brief overview of the

available untouched potentials, invited Turkish importers to explore the varieties of Sri Lankan spice products especially ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’.

Member of Turkey-Sri Lanka Business Council, Consul of Sri Lanka to Nevsehir and

the Chairman of Lanka Balloning Ltd. Mahmut Uluer joining the session, shared his

experience with Sri Lanka and briefed on the uniqueness of the Ceylon spices.

Chairman of Turkish Spice Packagers Association (Ambalajlı Baharat Üreticileri Derneği)

Mustafa Aydın Acun spoke during the session and shown their keen interest to work together with Sri Lankan companies and also Sri Lankan associations to expand trade between the two countries.

Detailed presentations on Ceylon spices were made by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and the Sri Lankan industry representatives, Directors, International Commodity Traders/Silvermills Group Ltd., namely Nanada Kohona Director, HDDES Extracts Ltd. Gehan

De Silva, Director Business Development, Imperial Spices Ltd. Rumesh Jayasuriya during

the virtual meeting.

The Embassy and Sri Lanka Export Development Board are currently coordinating individual

B2B meeting between Sri Lankan and Turkish companies starting from next week.