There was a time when ‘imported’ mattered...

Nayomini Ratnayake Weerasooriya recalls....:

Growing up during the seventies, I remember a word that was almost revered - imported. We craved everything imported. Pavement hawkers used to shout ‘imported’, peddling their cheaply manufactured shirts, until their throats were hoarse and they could not shout anymore. It was magic to the ears of shoppers then.

Living as we were in times when everything we had was local and of compromised quality since there was no healthy competition at the time, we as children dreamed of imported cheese, chocolates and toys. My particular favourite was the imported pencil box that came with cute pictures of wide-eyed dolls and a charming lock.

Then in the late seventies, the floodgates opened, and everything on the market had the magic label - imported. From erasers that smelled like strawberries to pencils with eraser tips that were cherished by us kids then, everything imported flooded the market and spilled over. Imported T shirts and jeans were much sought after items, along with real Manipuri sarees and Japanese motorcycles.

Global economy

Thirty something years later, things have changed. Imported is no longer necessarily the best. Sri Lanka makes some of the world’s finest clothing, lingerie and accessories. And happily, imported is no longer a word much sought after.

Consumers have a liking for ‘imported’ items.

Given the fact that the global economy is no longer what it used to be, the imported label itself can be deceiving. Which is produced where - your guess is as good as mine. In a one-world market place, companies have their product manufactured in countries where labour is cheap and resources are plentiful. And that can be just about anywhere.

On a trip to the USA a few years ago, I was struck by what I saw. Everything was simply ‘Made in China’. From souvenirs to gift packs, it seemed Chinese made products filled and still fill American shelves.

I was proud to find fine clothes ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ at the iconic Macy’s in the Big Apple. From Target to Kohl’s, everything in the USA, it seemed, was made in China. With a few exceptions in between.

Indian brands

Having made the transit from a closed economy to an open one albeit with well thought out mechanisms, India is the best example of how home grown brands and products give a good run to imported products any day. Indian brands compete on quality, pricing, availability and appeal alongside their international counterparts. Even though big brands such as luxury top end ones holding cult like status in markets worldwide have entered India big time, Indian brands and products continue to drive consumers and markets.

In Sri Lanka, local is no longer a word no one wants to hear. There are excellent, high quality products manufactured in Sri Lanka that would make imported products look inferior.

Today’s local manufacturers, unlike those of the seventies, are in touch with global standards and are aware of consumers being exposed to globally acceptable quality which is a powerful factor to consider.

With so much of imports going on even in the food sector, I believe local produce is always better than the imported versions. Take potatoes and big onions - I would never flinch to prefer local produce even though a little bit more expensive perhaps. I believe buying local produce would empower our farmers, even though the middlemen may eat into most of it.

The same goes for some of the top-end but high quality rice varieties that have entered the market. They are totally indigenous products that were once very much a part of Sri Lanka’s dynamic agriculture. Similarly, the agricultural produce that has brought some new varieties to the market such as cauliflower grown in Puttalam, have been welcome additions.

Looking back, a penchant for imported things was a mind-set that might have had something to do with our colonial mentality. There was some truth in it; in the good old days, machines made in Germany or England were sturdy and long lasting. Japanese cars back then were not heard of. When imported was mentioned, what it meant was European, Australian or American manufactured goods. Some of tends to be still true; people talk of Swiss chocolates, Japanese automotives, Italian pasta, Australian dairy products and of course, Ceylon Tea. They are iconic and powerful and convey an image of national pride. Despite the global market place growing and trading dynamics changing, they have stayed pretty much the same throughout the years. Even though in reality, some of it has actually changed.

High quality

Being Sri Lankan, I would always choose a Sri Lankan made product over the imported variety unless the imported one did not have a suitable local alternative. Dairy and milk products, fresh produce, poultry and a whole host of products are made to meet exacting global standards in Sri Lanka.

The same goes for other products - for years, it was customary for Sri Lankans travelling to India to carry Sri Lankan manufactured chocolates and soap. I remember as a child my aunt travelling to Bombay, her suitcase filled with Sri Lankan soap. With India making some of the world’s finest soaps, this is no longer so. A friend of ours who runs an Italian restaurant with authentic Italian flavour, has chosen to purchase locally made cheese over the imported variety; not only is the price excellent but so is the quality.

We Sri Lankans are a talented lot with a keen eye. We have had people who have produced the exact carbon copy of the real thing, if not the real thing itself, when it comes to food. Even today, with Sri Lankan chefs holding top posts in some of the world’s finest hotels, we are able to create authentic, globally acceptable dishes that go on to win prizes.

So in a nutshell, imported is no longer the guarantee of all things of high quality. Although it sometimes might still inspire a few, the majority of Sri Lankans today wouldn’t think twice about buying locally made products. Be Sri Lankan. Buy Sri Lankan. Always.

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