8 March 2016 12:00 am Views - 932
The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), jointly with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is conducting a follow up awareness seminar for exporters to disseminate information on the produces and products available from the North.
Resource speakers from the NCE and the ILO will present their views related to the subject. Exporters who have established successful business linkages will speak about their experiences and thereafter participate in a panel discussion to clarify any issues. Around 50 established exporters are expected to attend this event.
This event will take place at Hotel Sapphire on March 16, 2016 commencing 3:00 p.m.
The objective of the Local Empowerment for Economic Development (LEED) project is to promote inclusive economic development of the people in the Northern and East Provinces, creating decent employment and long-term sustainable livelihoods. It recognizes the important role of the private sector and especially the export sector to achieve these objectives.
The NCE, which is the only private sector chamber exclusively serving exporters, has collaborated with the LEED project, with a view to establish business linkages between the exporters and producers in the Northern and Eastern Provinces for mutual benefit.
As a result of the initiative of the NCE, few of its members have already established business linkages with producers in the Northern Province. Delegations of member exporters have been already led by the NCE to the North and East. The visits were facilitated by the offices of the LEED project in Kilinochchi and Batticaloa. Members of the delegation have held discussions with the relevant state officials and have also visited producers and manufacturing groups. Although these initial visits were intended to be only of an exploratory nature, the outcomes have exceeded expectations resulting in the successful establishment of firm business linkages.
Four member companies of the NCE are already engaged in business activities with producers and manufacturers in the North and East in the agriculture sector (fruits and vegetables and fibre sub sectors) and in boat building related to the fisheries sector. Two more companies are in the process of finalizing contracts with producer groups.
Business linkages already established are as follows:
1. CR Exports – sources papaya, cassava and snake gourd from Kilinochchi
2. HJS Condiments – sources papaya from Kilinochchi
3. Rabeena Foods – sourcing palmyra jaggery and processed food from Kilinochchi
4. Greenfield Bio Plantations (Pvt.) Ltd – established a dehydration plant
With a view to building on the successes achieved so far, the ILO office in Sri Lanka and the NCE, entered into a formal agreement to facilitate business development activities in the year 2013.
The NCE welcomes exporters and producers to join this programme, where exporters could benefit through a steady supply to meet export demands and producers by improving their incomes and living standards.
Most importantly, the project conveys the message of peace and trust between the people of the North and South and facilitates the reconciliation process through meaningful action.