SL among top five gem producing countries

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

Sri Lanka is one of the five main gem producing countries. South Africa,Brazil,Thailand and Myanmar are the other four major gem producers, National Gem and Jewellery Authority deputy director general Ajith Perera said.

According to him, four percent of the annual exports of Sri Lanka constitute gems and they hope to increase this quantum in the near future. The Deputy Director General was addressing a special press briefing at the Information Department on the recently discovered gem deposits in Kataragama.

"There is a good demand for Sri Lankan Blue Sapphires in the global market. We hope that the gems found in the Thammanna area would be a boost to our Blue Sapphire exports with the resultant benefit to the national economy," Perera said.