Sri Lanka Handicraft Board and Sala enter into partnership to promote Laksala in China

Chinthaka Wijewickrama, Chairman/MD Sala Group with Lakmal Wickramaarachchi after signing the partnership agreement while Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara looks on

Sri Lanka Handicraft Board, popularly known as ‘Laksala’ has partnered with Sala Globle to take products of Sri Lankan artisans overseas.

The signing of the partnership was done physically and using Zoom. It was attended by Dayasiri Jayasekara  - State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel Products, Palitha Kohona – Sri Lankan Ambassador in China, Janaka Darmakeerthi – Secretary, Lakmal Wickramaarachchi – Chairman Laksala, Chinthaka Wijewickrama – Chairman Sala Group, Jason Wong – Alia Sleep Technology (Guangdong) Co. Ltd. China.  Laksala has 12 branches island-wide of which 4 are located in Colombo and the balance in prominent main towns outstation. The ranges of items have exceeded 50,000.  SALA Group has 30 years of experience in the IT field having a large dealer network covering the entire country. They are the leaders in ‘Information Technology’ and have been introducing innovative products to the Sri Lankan consumers.

Having seen the destitute situation of the Artisans and the Craftsmen in the country due to the present Covid pandemic, Sala Global (Pvt) Ltd have joined hands with Laksala to take their products globally by having their showrooms and using their IT knowledge.

Chinthaka Wijewickrama stated that there are many advantages working with China. Some of them are China’s GDP, booming consumer market: disposable income up 13 percent Year on Year.

China’s consumer market is the fastest growing in the world. China’s retail annual growth rate is expected to grow at 10 percent compound annual growth rate until 2025.  In 2021, the average disposable income of Chinese families rose by 13 percent over previous year.

Has a culture that appreciates arts & crafts. Tech innovations facilitating sales of goods and services – E Commerce.

Politically and economically stable country. China is taking a lot of interest in our handicrafts because this is a dying craft there and it is also facing higher labour costs, where countries like Sri Lanka can capitalize.

He also said we have to learn from our South Asian neighbours about handicrafts to find new markets. One of the leading exporters of handicrafts to China is India. It competes with Malaysia and Vietnam in wooden handicraft and Korea in metal handicraft.

Bangladesh is a competitor in jute while it takes on Pakistan on stonework and the Philippines on items made of bamboo.

One of the main attractions for Sala to take this opportunity was the 50,000 plus locally made products available with Laksala, its craftsmanship and the quality. Special emphasis would be on natural medicinal herbs being used for healthy life. There are samples of traditional medicinal oils of 1,000 years old, indigenous medical practices that have cured many human ailments.