Sri Lanka rethinking 2020 export target

• EDB commences ISO 9001 to meet new challenge
• Enlists SLSI for 9001 push
• 2015 Jan-Feb exports at $ 1.75 b

From left: EDB ED Dr. Yousuf Maraikkar and EDB Chairman and CEO Bandula Egodage look on as T. Wijesuriya from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution makes her presentation

Sri Lanka is rethinking the premier exports indicator that has been floating atop its macro-economic landscape for the past few years and to meet the revised targets, the country’s apex export body is diving into ISO standards for its own service delivery, as revealed yesterday. “Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, under the guidance of President Maithripala Sirisena, is rethinking the $ 20 b export target for 2020,” said EDB Chairman/ECO Bandula Egodage yesterday. Egodage was addressing the special awareness session on ISO 9001:2008 standards held for the staff of EDB. The first awareness session on ISO 9001:2008 was conducted by T. Wijesuriya of Sri Lanka Standards Institution. Sri Lanka’s earnings from exports of merchandise and services for 2014 stood at $11.9 b; 31% of Lankan exports headed to the EU while 25% was absorbed by the USA. Egodage added: “Bathiudeen believes that Sri Lanka’s export sector is more capable than the $ 20 b and as a result, currently we are re-evaluating this goal with a view to revise upwards. Being the country’s top exports facilitator, processes and service standards of EDB should be on par with ISO global standards of excellence so that we can meet this challenge. This is not to say we are not excellent already, otherwise we cannot be the country’s top export facilitator. Today’s awareness session for EDB staff on ISO 9001 facilitated by Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) is the first step in advancing EDB’s service excellence to our next levels in exports. I thank SLSI for its support to advance our exports sector.” Egodage, however, did not mention the new export target value for 2020. “Quality management of exports products of any country is of high priority nowadays,” said EDB ED Dr. Yousuf Maraikkar, addressing the event. “At certain times we come across export difficulties in international markets. Not only Sri Lanka even other countries face this. This shows what a challenging task that export quality management is. This session on ISO is a first step in assuring EDB’s excellence and will help us to stay away from export issues.” Sri Lanka’s merchandise only exports for January and February 2015 recorded $ 1.75 b with a month-on-month increase of 1.7%.