The National Export Strategy which would focus on five key areas of exports will holds its second round of consultations from today to July 20.
The areas identified for improvement are: ICT, Wellness Tourism, Spice Concentrates, Boat Buildings, Processed Food and Beverages and Electronic and Electrical Machinery.
“The country should have a national strategy for exports. It is vital for economic development. Exports related to FDIs will be pushed on a national scale,” Export Development Board (EDB) Chairperson Indra Malwatte said addressing the media at the Government Information Department yesterday.
The strategy is being developed with the assistance of the programme “EU- Sri Lanka Trade- Related Assistance: Increasing SME’s trade competitiveness in regional and EU markets”.
The five year strategy will place emphasis on diversification of exports through strengthening of emerging sectors with the objective of national quality infrastructure; innovation, research and development and logistics.
“We need to see the strategy. Sri Lanka has the ownership of the strategy. It should be set in motion soon,” EU Ambassador Tung-Lai Margue said.
He said the EU donated 8 million Euros for the project. The collaboration between the public and private sector is key to success, he said.
International Trade State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe said the government aims at increasing exports from Rs. 11 billion to Rs. 18 billion by 2020.