Kithulaka Waruna in April

Ridma Dissanayake

There is a vast demand for Sri Lankan Kithul and Palmyra products in the international market such as Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and USA. At present those products earn Rs 900 million for the national income monthly,said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake.

“We have to encourage those industrials to earn more foreign exchange and it will be a great support to Sri Lankan economy.”,he said.

The Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Ministry in collaboration with the Regional Development Bank and the Elephant House (Pvt) Ltd have taken steps to hold “Kithulaka Waruna 2011” for the second time to encourage those industries, he said.

The Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Ministry has taken measures to develop the Kithul production industry in two years. As a result of that they held the “Kithulaka Waruna” exhibition and trade fare in 2010. It helped customers to buy high quality Kithul products,he added.

The Deputy Minister was addressing the press conference which was held under the patronage of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda at the Government Information Department yesterday.

He said that encouraging Kithul production industrials,introducing new Kithul and Palmyra products of high quality,giving more opportunity in the market are the main targets of this exhibition. “Kithulaka Waruna 2011” exhibition will start on April 1 and it will be held for two days at the Vihara Maha Devi Park premises.

Entrance is free for this exhibition. There will be 40 stalls for industrials and 10 stalls for the state institutions which are engaged in the Kithul and Palmyra industries, he said.

The “Kithulaka Waruna 2011” inauguration ceremony will be held on April 1 under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Its prize giving will be held on April 2 evening at the exhibition premises,said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Ministry’s Additional Secretary K R Samarasinghe.

John Keells Group Vice President Neil Samarasinhe and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Ministry’s Secretary V Sivagnanasothy also participated.