Sweden urges SL to push up contributions to its food industry

• Sweden expresses strong interest to expand business collaborations
• Proposes increasing food market contributions under Triple Helix Model
• Says Swedish Institute for Standards ready to provide trainings for local manufacturers

By Nuzla Rizkiya
Sweden has expressed a strong interest in expanding business collaborations with Sri Lanka, specifically to increase Sri Lanka’s contributions to its fast-growing food industry, the Export Development Board (EDB) said.
A Swedish delegation, led by Swedish Ambassador to India and Sri Lanka Jan Thesleff, recently met with the EDB to explore the potential business collaborations and opportunities between the two countries. 
The delegation included Consul General of Sweden in Colombo Sanjay Kulatunga and Business Sweden Lead for Sustainability and Climate Change Pawan Tehlani, who met EDB Director General C.D. Dharmasena and her team.
“A key highlight of the event was a presentation by Pawan Tehlani, who introduced the Sweden-Sri Lanka Sustainable Foodtech Initiative. He emphasised that Sweden’s food market, projected to grow at an annual rate of 5 percent, is driven by sustainability and organic food production, areas where Sri Lanka can collaborate and make valuable contributions,” the EDB stated in a press release.
The recent visit by the Swedish delegation follows an earlier high-level visit to Colombo in June 2024, which brought representatives from eight Swedish companies to the island. 
The earlier visit focused on how Sri Lanka can contribute to the Swedish market, particularly through Sweden’s Triple Helix Model—a framework that allows the government, research institutions and the private sector to work collaboratively towards economic development.
According to Tehlani, the model will enable Sri Lanka to benefit well from projects and training sessions that are designed to enhance its capabilities in sustainable food production. He also shared that the Swedish Institute for Standards, which has been engaged in various initiatives across Asia, is willing to explore similar opportunities in Sri Lanka.
“Ambassador Thesleff expressed Sweden’s strong interest in deepening partnerships with Sri Lanka and emphasised the importance of strengthening trade relations, particularly in enhancing Sri Lanka’s exports to Sweden. Both sides expressed optimism about the future of bilateral cooperation, anticipating new opportunities to further strengthen trade and economic ties between the two countries,” the EDB said.
Sweden ranks as the 25th export destination for Sri Lanka, with total exports valued at US $ 96.77 million in 2023, while the imports amounted to US $ 36.31 million.
The main exports from Sri Lanka to Sweden for the year included apparel products, hard rubber items, gloves, mitts and mittens made of textiles, electrical transformers, tea packets, activewear, sportswear, liquid coconut milk as well as motor vehicles and parts.