Deyata Kirula attracts over 3000 applicants to the garment industry

Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF)’s stall at the DeyataKirula exhibition, held in Anuradhapura, recruited over 3000 applicants to the industry to cope with the growing demand for apparel sourcing from Sri Lanka.

JAAF Secretary General Tuli Cooray said that their stall under, the patronage of the Ministry of Commerce and Industrial Affairs showcased the latest technology used in the industry and met its’ objective of educating and creating awareness on the progress made by the apparel industry. Featured prominently was Sri Lanka apparel’s ethical sourcing platform ‘Garments Without Guilt,’ which recently was conferred Blue Dart/ DHL’s global CSR award in Mumbai.

Another highlight at the stall was the sewing of a giant national flag of which Minister of Commerce and Industrial Affairs Rishard Bathiudeen and Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Ranjith Siyambalapitiya also took part by putting a stitch each.

Sri Lanka’s apparel industry, despite the calamities of the recent past has progressed steadily to record US $ 4 billion by the end of 2011, a target initially planned to be achieved by 2015.

A key objective of JAAF’s Image Building campaign, conducted jointly with the Ministry of Commerce and Industrial Affairs, is to improve recruitment and retention of workers and to raise awareness of the industry’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy.

The campaign which is expected to cover all the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, was started in 2011 February from the Buththala Deyata Kirula premises and has already covered the areas of Puttlam, Polonnaruwa, Kanthale, Punani, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Kaluthara, Kandy, Sabaragamuwa and Gampaha.