Category: Trade

July 31, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has declared two seaports as ‘free ports’ and an airport and two export processing zones as bonded areas, for entrepot trade and off-shore business.Colombo and Hambantota ports have been declared as free ports. Export processing zones in Katunayake by the main international airport and Koggala and the second […]

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2013 (AFP) – A study released on Monday showed that Internet-powered shopping across national borders has created “modern spice routes” holding wealth for local merchants who tap into the booming trend. Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, Germany, China, Britain and the United States will see a combined total of $105 billion in […]

July 19, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell 1.5 percent to 793.9 million US dollars in May 2013 from a year earlier, but apparel exports rose 2.1 percent to 318.9 million US dollars, official data showed. Agricultural products exports fell 6.8 percent to 197.9 million US dollars in June from a year earlier, rubber […]

July 12, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is planning an export fair to showcase its products and services to the world in August 2014, and has appointed a high level panel to take it forward, the ministry of industry and commerce said. The fair will target buyers outside traditional market in EU and North America. […]

July 11, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has to build capacity opportunities to be a processed food exporter, taking a cue from developments that occurred in East Asian nations such as Thailand and Vietnam, an Australia-based economist said. Prema-chandra Athukorale, professor of economics at Australian National University said in Thailand 23 percent of non-oil exports […]

July 10, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is in talks with China and Japan to sign free trade deals which will give more opportunities for exporters, Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera told an economic policy forum.Sri Lanka has started to export solar panels to Japan. Existing deals with India and Pakistan will also be deepened, […]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States withdrew key trade privileges from Bangladesh Thursday, citing dangerous conditions for workers in the wake of a factory building collapse that killed over 1,100 people. The collapse was by far the worst disaster ever in the global textiles industry, leaving 1,129 people dead and shocking many used to the […]

June 27, 2013 (LBO) – Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation is looking at expanding trade and investment in banana and tuna fishing in the island, Sri Lanka’s economic development ministry said.The ministry said Kouhei Watanebe, Chairman, Japan – Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Council and adviser to ITOCHU Corporation had had talks with economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa […]

June 25, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and India has held talk on doubling trade to 10 billion US dollars over the next three years, removing non-tariff barriers and reviewing negative lists, the island’s finance ministry said. India has allowed eight million pieces of garments under a quantity restriction.Sri Lanka has sought removing quantity restrictions […]

June 24, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports fell 6.8 percent in April 2013 to 696.6 million US dollars with apparels falling 14.98 percent to 275 million US dollars from a year earlier, and exports in first four months down 7.8 percent, the Central Bank said. Industrial exports were down 7.5 percent to 518 million […]

June 21, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka slapped a 10 percent tax on gold, a senior government official deputy Treasury Secretary S R Attygalle said, as world gold prices fell to levels seen in 2010.India had imposed an 8.0 percent tax earlier. Sri Lanka’s gold import surged to 100 million US dollars in the first […]

June 11, 2013 (LBO) – A senior executive of Nestlé, a Swiss-based food group company has been appointed chairman of Sri Lanka’s state export promotion agency, the ministry of commerce said.Bandula Egodage, vice president, corporate affairs at Nestlé Lanka Plc has was formally made chairman at a ceremony at Export Development Board’s office in Colombo […]