Focus on new ventures in North and East:
Japan to strengthen trade with Sri Lanka
Charumini de Silva
Japan will strengthen and expand trade ties with Sri Lanka in the
tourism, fisheries, agriculture and aqua sports sectors.
A Japanese trade delegation recently met Prime Minister Ratnasiri
Wickramanayake, BOI and RDA officials and also visited the Agro-Tourism
project in Hambantota recently with the newly appointed Consul General
for Sri Lanka in Osaka, Japan, D.W. Aluthgamage.
“The main objective of the visit was to strengthen and expand trade
ties between Japan and Sri Lanka in the sectors of trade, tourism,
fisheries, agriculture, aqua sports and other fields.
At a glance
|
* Japanese keen
on investments here
* Around 20,000 Japanese tourists arrivals annually
* Excess fruits and vegetables to be exported |
The BOI is the main facilitator for Japanese investors, but we need
to improve our public relations systems to build the image of the new
Sri Lanka after defeating terrorism”, Aluthgamage told Daily News
Business.
“Japanese investors were keen on investing especially in the marine
and aquatic sports in the Eastern Province. More efforts would be
focused to start new ventures in the Northern and the Eastern provinces
too”, he said.
“Sri Lanka has many natural resources, but the technology to
introduce them to the world market is lacking. Sri Lanka has the
opportunity to export sea food since there is a huge demand for it.
In addition, prawn processing is another area that could be developed
for export.
The transport of sea food and storage technology has to be developed
to export them to the world market”, Aluthgamage said.
“Around 20,000 Japanese tourists visit Sri Lanka annually. With the
dawn of peace, the tourism industry should focus on increasing the
number of tourist arrivals from Japan and other countries.
Japanese tourists are the best travellers and best spenders in the
world. They spend over US$ 200 per day.
The Arugam Bay beach is one of the spectacular beaches in Sri Lanka
and it is well-known for sea surfing. The Japanese are very interested
in aquatic sports. Aquatic sports such as sea surfing, snorkelling and
diving should be improved and expanded further.
The tourism industry in Sri Lanka has many opportunities and the
industry could contribute much to the country’s economy and Japanese
traders were also interested in it”, he said.
“Another industry which the Japanese delegation was keen on was the
agricultural sector.
The excess of fruits and vegetables in Sri Lanka is 30-40 percent
with an approximate value of US$ 65-70 million per year. These excess
fruits and vegetables could be exported. The technology of packaging and
transporting agricultural goods has to be enhanced with modern
technology in Sri Lanka”, he said. Japan and Sri Lanka could move
towards an agreement of exchanging trade.
It will enable Sri Lanka to export our resources while earning
foreign exchange, gaining expertise and the latest technology. “Japan
used to gain vast profits during the past, but due to the present global
downturn its profits slowed down recently, but Sri Lanka could gain
access to trade with Japan and establish joint ventures with them.
Sri Lanka and Japan should have business councils, investment
seminars, associations and volunteer services to expand trade between
the two countries”, Aluthgamage said.
“Arrangements are also being made to organize trade promotions in
Japan to start joint ventures in October and the main facilitator would
be the BOI”, he said. |