EDB says Expo Bazaar a success

The Expo Bazaar 2011, exhibition and trade fair organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board held at the Greenpath was concluded highly successfully, the EDB said in a statement yesterday.

 The exhibition was organised to embolden the leading exporters to demonstrate their capabilities and contribution shared towards the national economy with production of high quality products and services of reputation offered to the international market. This exhibition stimulated a new export culture in Sri Lanka to make visibility of products manufactured by Sri Lanka in an attempt to raise awareness of the importance and advantages of the export trade among the general public.

The Bazaar was ceremonially opened by Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa with the participation of Minister of Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Industries Jayarathna Herath, Member of Parliament and Chairman of Tharunayata Hetak Namal Rajapaksa along with other Ministers and MPs who also visited the exhibition.

Chairman EDB Janaka Rathnayake expressing his views on the Expo exhibition said that Sri Lanka was able to achieve USD 8.3 billion exports in 2010 showing 17.26% increase in exports compared to the previous year’s USD 7.1 billion. He added that the EDB has already commenced to implement its strategic plan for the next five years at a target of USD 15 billion by 2015, committing to make the vision of Mahinda Chinthanaya a reality. The exhibition is said to have provided an opportunity to take this message to the general public.

Approximately 150 leading exporters participated at this trade exhibition with representations from apparel, tea, rubber products, information technology, software and electronics, aquarium fish, cut flowers and foliage, gems and jewellery, food and beverages, spices, coconut products, fruits and vegetables, porcelain products, boats, handicrafts, herbal products, plastics, giftware and handloom exports. The diplomatic community, foreign buyers and large number of general public visited the trade exhibition, the EDB said with the total participation coming close to 15, 000 people at the end of the three day show.