Facets facilitates US$ 1 b export target
Sri Lanka’s only international gem and jewellery show Facets Sri
Lanka will accelerate the government’s target of reaching US$ 1 billion
through gem and jewellery exports by 2016. Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery
Association (SLGJA) Vice Chairman (Gem Segment) A.H.M. Imtizam said
FACETS 2011 will help the industry to display its vast range of product
offerings for the buyers and create more opportunities to reach US$ 1
billion export earnings by 2016.
 Facets Sri Lanka 2011 organized by the SLGJA will be held from
September 8 to 11, 2011 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition
Centre in Colombo for the 21st consecutive year, creating new business
opportunities for local gem and jewellery industrialists.
“Gem and Jewellery exports are picking up. There is a high demand
from buyers and industrialists cannot meet this demand due to the
shortage of raw materials.
Demand for blue sapphire increased with the Royal wedding. The boom
in the tourist arrivals to the country will also improve indirect gem
and jewellery exports,” he said.
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Visitors at the FACETS exhibition held last year. Picture by
Saliya Rupasinghe |
Facets also attracts a special segment of tourists during the
period,” he said.
The latest National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) statistics
revealed that the country has recorded Rs 24.4 billion as total export
earnings through gem and jewellery during first six months of this year,
a 8.9 percent growth compared to same period in last year.
The organizers expect business delegations from different parts of
the world for the show.
“We will discuss on facilitating access to raw materials in sourcing
countries for our industrialists with these delegations”, Facets Sri
Lanka Chairman Chanaka Ellawala said.
“The talks will also focus on matters such as tariff and non tariff
barriers, product standards in export markets and easy access for our
products to those markets,” he said.
Facets 2011 is an ideal platform for all stakeholders in gem and
jewellery industry including support services such as insurance, banking
and shipping to showcase their products. |
