Increase in trade with Latvia
Shirajiv SIRIMANE
Trade between Sri Lanka and Latvia is on the rise and there is more
room for expansion, Consul General for Latvia in Sri Lanka Thomas
Daetwyler said.
Consul General for Latvia in Sri Lanka Thomas Daetwyler with
one of the biggest tea exporters to Latvia, Mlesna Tea
Chairman Anslem Perera. Picture by Saliya Rupasinghe |
Speaking to Daily News Business at the recently concluded Latvia
National Day celebrations he said that there is a 35 percent increase in
trade in recent times.
The main commodities exported from Sri Lanka include tea and apparels
while imports include mainly electronics.
“With rapid development taking place in Sri Lanka many Latvian
investors are keen to invest. He said tourist arrivals from Latvia too
is increasing and Latvian nationals are high spenders who like to
patronage the beach. They are long stayers as well,” he added. He was
however disappointed that there were no direct flights to Latvia and
said that this is an area that needs attention.
“The relationship and trade between Sri Lanka and our country has
significantly developed over the last years and we are further aiming to
strengthen the ties between our two countries,” he added.
“We are facing today a radically new and unprecedented situation
which demands political wisdom and a responsible approach towards work.
We are living in an age of confusion in the global economy, and there
are increasing convincing signs of a new wave of the crisis.
We must learn from past mistakes that the crisis does not reoccur,”
he said.
“By acceding to international declarations such as the Millennium
Development Declaration and the Cairo Declaration, Latvia has
demonstrated its readiness to become actively involved in the resolution
of global problems, eliminating poverty, strengthening democracy,
limiting the spread of disease, ensuring sustainable environmental
development and promoting gender equality and the universal availability
of education,” he said. |