Sri Lanka strikes success at Anuga 2011

Sri Lanka’s participation at the recently-concluded international ‘Anuga Trade Fair’ was a clear success, with most orders for Sri Lanka seen from European and Eastern European countries and European supermarket chains making direct inquiries on local products.

Many Sri Lankan food and beverage exporters are looking forward to take part in the 2013 Anuga Fair too, said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.

Minister Bathiudeen was speaking upon his return on Friday 14 October from Anuga Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany.

“Thirteen Sri Lankan firms took part in this year’s Anuga. I believe this number will increase during the 2013 Anuga Fair,” Minister Bathiudeen revealed.

Speaking on the launch of Pure Ceylon Cinnamon, Minister Bathiudeen said: “The European press had many interesting questions on cinnamon and its origins during our press conference. Most of them realised the difference between cinnamon and cassia clearly on that occasion.”

                   “Our initial estimates show that we have collected US$ 2 million of confirmed orders at the conclusion of the Anuga Trade Fair,” said Export Development Board Chairman/CEO Janaka Ratnayake, who joined Minister Bathiudeen in Cologne. “Orders for much higher amounts are also now under negotiation.”

The Anuga Trade Fair is the world’s most important trading platform for food and beverages and this year’s fair had more than 155,000 trade visitors from 180 countries with 6,596 product suppliers coming from 100 countries.

Held once every two years, it combines 10 F&B trade trends and this year’s fair, which is the 31st in its series, was organised by Koelnmesse GmbH. It ended on 12 October in Cologne, Germany.

The 13 companies who took part in the Anuga Trade Fair were Renuka Group, Consolidated Business Systems, GP De Silva & Sons Intl, Expolanka, SA Silva & Sons Lanka, Adamexpo, CIC Holdings, Ceylon Fresh Teas, Orient Trading, Ishana Spice Exports, Asia Teas and Food & Nature Ltd.

“Almost all products on display at Sri Lanka Pavilion drew a positive response from the visitors, with Pure Ceylon Cinnamon, desiccated coconuts, value-added Pure Ceylon Tea and organic products drawing the strongest demand,” Ratnayake added.

Anuga is also an important event for new markets and target groups for international exporters. Among the innovative new Sri Lankan products that drew Anuga buyers’ attention was cinnamon biscuits, from SA Silva & Sons Lanka Ltd. “There were inquiries for Sri Lankan red rice,” said a participant.

Expolanka, Sri Lanka’s leading exporter of fresh coconuts, expressed satisfaction on the overall Anuga participation by Sri Lanka. “The fair was quite successful. Europe and Eastern Europe placed strong orders for organic food products from us,” said Imadh Marikar, General Manager, Expolanka, an Anuga event supplier from Sri Lanka.

“Among the food industry sectors that were trying to connect with us at Anuga were confectionery manufacturers and the bakery industry, apart from general bulk buyers,” Marikar added. Expolanka commands a 30% share of overall fresh coconut exports from Sri Lanka.

“We initially expected that our premium products such as organic dried fruit would have less pickup due to the recession outlook in Europe, but on the contrary there were strong orders for most of our organic products. Now we are in the process of preparing samples to be dispatched to start the sales process,” Marikar revealed.

“I am happy to reveal that our challenged market for desiccated coconuts due to competitive low pricing by Indonesia and Vietnam has now turned positive for the first time after almost five years of stagnation due to Sri Lanka’s current competitive prices on desiccated coconut products,” Marikar said.

Samantha Pitiyage, Director of Ceylon Fresh Teas, an Anuga event supplier from Sri Lanka which exports value-added teas to Russia and CIS countries under the Zylanica Tea brand, said: “We are really satisfied with this event. It was very fruitful. We are also looking forward to take part in the 2013 Anuga Fair. We saw strong Eastern European and Russian interest for Sri Lankan products.”

Priyadarshani Halpe, General Manager of GP de Silva & Sons Intl (an Anuga event supplier from Sri Lanka), said that Anuga was a successful event for the company.

“It gave us a rare opportunity to meet almost all out clients in one place at the same time. We met them all and treated them all at the same time too,” Halpe revealed. GP de Silva & Sons Intl is Sri Lanka’s leading exporter of cinnamon to world markets.