TESCO to increase buying from Lanka

TESCO which operates the largest outlet chain in the U.K. has agreed to purchase a variety of Sri Lankan products for its 2500 outlets throughout the U.K., Ireland, Central European Countries, Japan and South Korea.

A senior official of the Sri Lanka High Commission in the U.K. said that TESCO officials agreed to increase Sri Lanka's apparel imports from US$ 30 million to US$ 55 million.

It was also agreed to increase import of tuna fish by 30 per cent while an unlimited quantity of canned tuna fish could be imported.

Meanwhile, TESCO officials agreed to purchase apparels from small and medium enterprises. They said that they have been purchasing apparels from large companies in Sri Lanka but they would purchase from SMEs on the condition that the particular SMEs are recommended by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board.

The Export Development Board is now negotiating with TESCO-Sri Lanka to take advantage of the offer made by the TESCO Directors, TESCO Sri Lanka has also shown interest in purchasing organic spices, herbs, pineapple, coir products, dried fruit vegetables, and other bio products.

He said that TESCO had agreed to pay special attention to products manufactured by SMEs and to pay import branded value added tea while giving prominence to Sri Lankan Tea. (Lankapuvath).