Export Development Board reactivates National Packaging Centre

• Newly established Packaging Design Display Unit to boost manufacturing industry 

The Export Development Board (EDB) recently reactivated the National Packaging Centre with the Packaging Design Display Unit (PDDU) in its premises to enhance the growth of the local manufacturing industry.

The inauguration took place with the participation of Senior Additional Secretary to the President A.R. Deshapriya, Industries Ministry Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara, EDB Chairman Dr. Kingsley Barnard, Industries Ministry Trust Area Development Additional Secretary Chaminda Pathiraja, EDB Acting Director-General Malini Baddegama and Board of Directors of the EDB and NPC.

The PPDU was launched to showcase innovative packaging designed locally by using indigenous packing materials. The objective is to enhance the value of export products through the utilisation of local packaging solutions and to minimise post-harvest losses.

Recognising the significance of promoting the local packaging industry, the Government, under the guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe decided to reactivate the National Packaging Centre. 

The Government under its Interim Budget 2022 (Budget proposal No 32) identified that the NPC of the EDB need to be reactivated for the promotion and development of the packaging industry, especially using the indigenous, local packaging materials/products to cater in the international market. 

At present packaging in Sri Lanka was traditionally seen as an inevitable cost factor was seldom given a proper and active attention in production, marketing and distribution in terms of domestic and export trade. As a result, planning and development of packaging was often delegated to low level of importance in the society in general. 

Further the packaging industry in Sri Lanka operates in a virtual seller’s market. The competitiveness of the industry is often affected due to high cost of raw materials, inadequate quality of raw materials and finished packages, low productivity, high waste generation and some environmental problems associated with packaging. The bulk of Sri Lankan traditional exports are still in the low value-added forms. 

Post-harvest losses in agricultural produce run high from the farm-gate up to the consumers. Inadequate packaging has been identified as a major cause of post-harvest losses. 

Research on the development of appropriate packaging systems with the use of indigenous packaging materials which could perhaps be more eco-friendly, are virtually non-existent, despite of having number of private and public agencies operated in designing and manufacturing of promotional packaging designs. Absence of an independent third-party packaging performance certification authority has affected the reliability of many of the packaging forms that are locally made.

This National intervention in establishing a strategic collaboration between Public and Private sector stakeholders (PPP) would support for developing and promoting of the packaging industry in Sri Lanka The Sri Lanka National Packaging Centre (NPC) –a unique collaboration between the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the packaging industry stakeholders of Sri Lanka, represented by the Ministry of Industries (MoI), Ministry of Investment Promotion (MoIP), Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), National Craft Council(NCC), Industrial Development Board (IDB),National Design Centre (NDC), Palmyrah Development Board (PDB), University of Moratuwa (UoM),National Engineering Research and Development Centre (NERD), ,National Institute of Post-Harvest Management (NIPHM),Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology( SLINTEC), Lanka Corrugated Carton Manufacturers Association (LCCMA) and Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging (SLIP).

The National Packaging Centre aims to benefit various stakeholders, such as exporters, packaging industry players, manufacturers, designers, potential entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises, women entrepreneurs, other government agencies, university and school students, research and development institutes, and logistics service providers. It serves as the national focal point for packaging development projects.

For more information about the services offered by the National Packaging Centre, you can contact the following individuals: NPC at 011 2303975, Indika Sugathadasa (Assistant Director) at 071 8246762, Helmalie Vitharana (Assistant Director) at 077 7215911, or email [email protected].