Second S. Asian Commodity Fair opens in Kunming:

Lanka woos Chinese consumers

Suharshi Perera in Kunming

Sri Lankan exporters wooed the Chinese consumers, the biggest market with over one billion population, when the Second South Asian Commodity Fair opened in Kunming in the Yunnan Province in Western China on Saturday.

Over 500 exporters and trade representatives from SAARC countries were present at the Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kunming to explore possibilities of capturing the South Asian and Chinese markets.

Fifty eight Sri Lankan delegates representing various sectors including tourism, tea, value added rubber, gem and jewellery, handicraft and coir products participated at the two-day trade fair.

This will be a platform for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs to promote their business here and there is lot of enthusiasm this time, Export Development Board Chairman and CEO Anil Koswatte told Daily News.

The trade delegates were accompanied by the Export Development Board and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce.

A unique feature of the event was the participation of several small scale exporters from various parts of the country including Colombo, Kandy, Ambalantota and Gampaha.

It was a meeting point for trade between SAARC countries and China.

Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris attended the inauguration ceremony and later inspected the trade stalls. “There is a good demand for Sri Lankan handicraft here,” a lacquer handicraft manufacturer from Matale said.

The trade fair was organized by China Council for Promotion of International Trade, Yunnan Province and SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.