UKTP Programme empowers Sri Lanka’s organic exports

Workshop conducted by UKTP Programme has emerged as a trigger for Sri Lanka’s organic export growth

The United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme project in Sri Lanka, funded by the government of the United Kingdom and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), aims to promote exports by facilitating access to markets, providing technical advisory services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and strengthening business support organisations.

The recently concluded training and validation workshop, conducted by the UKTP Programme from March 18-22, 2024, has emerged as a trigger for Sri Lanka’s organic export growth. 

This timely initiative, organised in collaboration with the key stakeholders, including the National Organic Control Unit of the Export Development Board (EDB) and ITC, has attracted significant attention for its role in strengthening Sri Lanka’s position in the global organic market.

This workshop provided a vital platform for matching Sri Lanka’s organic standards with internationally recognised benchmarks.

The Mayacert (Pvt.) Ltd, a registered certification body in Sri Lanka, facilitated the workshop by exploring the key organic standards and regulations such as the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and the Great Britain organic regulations. Through interactive sessions and practical activities, the participants gained insights into the certification processes, empowering them to meet global market requirements with confidence.

Following the training workshop, the public-private stakeholder validation workshop on the assessment of the Sri Lankan organic standard against the IFOAM and Great Britain’s organic regulation took place on March 21, 2024, at Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Colombo. The event brought together the key stakeholders in the organic value chain from the public and private sectors.

The series of in-person and hybrid events demonstrated the high interest of key stakeholders from the public and private sectors in enhancing organic agriculture in Sri Lanka as an untapped niche export to the UK and EU as the priority target markets. The IFOAM international standard and Great Britain’s organic regulation were selected as the national and international organic benchmark requirements for the Sri Lankan organic standard and control system development and harmonisation.

EDB Chairman Dr. Kingsley Bernard addressed the event, emphasising its importance in achieving the objective of comparing and identifying gaps between Sri Lankan standards and international benchmarks. He stressed that this process provided a crucial opportunity for the stakeholders, including institutions, exporting community and associations, to take effective measures to bridge these gaps. 

The event featured a variety of resource personnel, including Export Quality Management Officer Simon Heisig, Udval Badamkhatan of the ITC, Dr. Shaikh Tanveer, Tom Nizet, representing the ITC Team of Experts, organic sector stakeholders representing the exporters, processors, farmers and certification bodies, officials from the relevant government institutions representing the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board, Sri Lanka Standards Institution, Agriculture Department, Industrial Technology Institute and EDB.

Bolstering technical skills 

“Our analysis indicates that Sri Lanka could significantly benefit from the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, particularly in sectors such as organic products. We understand that tariffs are not the only barrier to export, which is why we’re collaborating with the ITC to bolster the technical skills of the industry, enabling them to access and thrive in the UK market. We provide this through the UKTP programme. This includes targeted assistance for SMEs across various agricultural value chains, facilitated by the ITC. Through this programme, the SMEs receive trade promotion technical assistance, enhancing their competitiveness and facilitating entry into new export markets, including the UK.”

- British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick