F&V exports increase

Vishmi WIJERATNE

The Fruit and Vegetable (F&V) sector would record a growth of 3% - 5% by the end of year 2012, said reappointed Chairman of Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Processors and Exporters Association, speaking at the Anual General Meeting held at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel on Thursday.

Chairman, Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers, Processors and Exporters Association, addressing the Annual General Meeting. Picture Sumanachandra Ariyawanse. Pics by- Sumanachandra

He said that the export sector had done extremely well considering the downturn in the world market. “According to Export Development Board statistics, though the Fruit and Vegetable sector had experienced a slight decline of around 18% during the first six months of 2012 when compared, during the past months, the fruit exports sector had a 12% growth in 2012, when compared with 2011,” Gnanaskandan said.

The fruit and vegetable sector had earned a revenue of US $ 36 million in 2011, while in the first half of 2012, the (F&V) sector revenue had stood at US $ 22 million.

“The members of our association have accounted for nearly 85% of the earnings of this sector,” Gnanaskandan said.

Gnanaskandan also said that most of the member companies export to the Middle East, European countries and the Maldives. He said that Sri Lanka was the second largest F&V exporter to the Maldives and that the exporters should take up the challenge to be the largest F&V exporter to the Maldives.

“To achieve this, we must take up the challenge to initiate a coordinated development strategy for the F&V export industry and develop an economic policy that addresses specifically the development of agriculture and F&V export sector,” he said.

Gnanaskandan went on to say that the implementation of a macro economic policy was necessary, while maintaining a predictable investment climate in the country. “Foreign investment was mandatory in a developing country and in a macro level, a large inflow of foreign investment was necessary to achieve an elevated rate of growth. This is sure to benefit the agricultural sector, “he said. He also said that client oriented research and development was needed. He further said that programmes similar to the Divi Neguma programme too was needed.

” The Divi Neguma programme helped exporters stabilize prices in the local market, “he said.