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Around 35 exporters, importers, suppliers and other organisations have already submitted their problems to be discussed at the sixth Exporters Forum to be held next week.

The Sixth Exporters Forum organised by the Export Development Board will be held on August 12 at 3.00 p.m. at the Auditorium of the D.H.P.L. Building. It will be jointly chaired by Prof G.L. Peiris, Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy, Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs and Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in Association with Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Industries.

Among the major problems solved through this forum are a request by fruits and vegetable exporters to reduce the number of check points between the Air Port Authority and Customs, removal of freight security of US$ 10 cents on the exports of flowers for the Amsterdam sector. As a substantial amount of cargo goes to Amsterdam it was possible to get this concession for the Amsterdam sector for flowers.

The forum has become a point for dissemination of information and creating awareness. A request was made by a jewellery exporter to obtain loans to import gold on loans or import gold on consignment basis.

The facility known as gold loans is already available for purchase of gold from the commercial banks but was not known to the exporters. Responding to a request made by the Gems and Jewellery Traders' Association to remove GST and NSL on consumables imported for the gems and jewellery industry it was noted that the this problem would be solved with VAT. Minister Karunanayake suggested that the situation be appraised after August.

Among the issues that will come up are difficulties faced by an exporter of value added palmyra products made out of imported palmyra leaves from India and the problems of EU specifications affecting the export of malted milk, and the problem of competition faced by shoe exporters in the face of low priced imported shoes.

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