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Wednesday, 17 September 2014 01:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s apex export entity has issued a clarion call to the country’s exporter community to register with it and enlist in its surging database on 16 September.
“Some non-registered exporters, unaware of procedures, have given Sri Lanka a bad reputation. It is time all Lankan exporters register with EDB,” said EDB DG Sujatha Weerakoon yesterday, addressing the ‘How to Export Quality Fruit & Vegetable to the EU Region’ session held at the EDB.
Recently, the European Commission Director General of Health and Consumers has informed the National Plant Quarantine Services of Sri Lanka that some consignments of fresh fruits and vegetables exported to the EU and Switzerland were contaminated with pests, stating that of 350 fresh fruits and vegetables consignments that entered the EU from 2011 to date, 292 were contaminated with pests.
As a result, the EDB, with the assistance of the National Plant Quarantine Service, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce organised the awareness program with the participation of more than 50 Lankan exporters.
Among the reps present at the session were those from Aitken Spence Exports, Jagro, Eastern and Allied Agencies, Aloy Expo Ltd., Nidro Supply Ltd., Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, CR Exports, Ellawala Horticulture, Kingsfood and HNB.
Reps from Plant Quarantine Station (Sea Port, Colombo), the Department of Commerce also made detailed presentations joined by EDB Deputy Director Darshana Perera.
“During their recent meeting with the Treasury facilitated by EDB, Sri Lanka’s committed fruits and vegetable exporters came forward to contribute to make the sector a half-a-billion dollar industry in future. What they were expecting from the Government was mostly policy direction and shaping, rather than funding support. Moreover, most fruits and vegetable exporters are SME oriented and down the value chain, there is a significant contribution by them to our employment and farmer society and clusters, having a direct connection to our economy. Now you can see how important this sector is despite low export values,” said Weerakoon. She continued: “It is time all Lankan exporters register with EDB. From 1 August 1985, any and all exporters in Sri Lanka should register with EDB, as per gazetted regulations. Anyone exporting any article of commercial value from Sri Lanka on or after 1 August 1985 should register with the EDB. This registration is free of charge and is not a hindrance to the exporter, but rather brings some benefits – the exporters could build a rapport with the topmost export body the EDB, they can enter EDB’s database, and time to time, they could receive relevant export information.”
As per Customs data, 3,650 exporters of all scales were active in 2013 which included both EDB registered and non-registered exporters. As of 2014 July, 3,170 such active Lankan exporters have been reported, both EDB registered and non-registered. Interestingly, EDB statistics indicate that 227,853 companies, individuals and SMEs have been registered with EDB as exporters since 1 August 1985, getting into active exports at one time or another. Therefore, the overall exporters since 1985 August (both EDB registered and non-registered) could be much higher. Colombo Sea Port Plant Quarantine Station OIC Champika Hewage, who made an in-depth presentation on quarantine procedures adopted in Sri Lanka for fruits and vegetables, stated: “When you export these products to markets such as the EU, showing exports standards alone may not be enough – sometimes you even need to show that you followed good agricultural practices. Based on your type of export products, we can help and teach you the necessary steps.”
While 65% of Sri Lanka’s fruits and vegetable exports head to the Maldives and the Middle East, in 2013, Sri Lanka exported $ 19.69 m of vegetables and $ 40.82 m of fruits across the world. Fruit exports alone jumped by 118% from 2012’s $ 19 m. Vegetable exports too increased from $ 15.06 m in 2012 to $19.69 in 2013. Despite the low export volumes, both are critical for Sri Lankan economy due to their social and livelihood importance in the SME value chain.
