SL aiming at $4.1 bn apparel target in ‘13’

As Sri Lanka draws near ‘Y2015 apparel target’ while battling defiant international markets, it also is closing in on its $4 billion(bn) resolute apparel exports goal. Also, Sri Lanka is to link its SME apparel sector shipments to the global ASYCUDA e-system by next month. “We are steadily approaching the 2015 target of $ 4 bn apparel exports, set by the Mahinda Chinthana and to this end, already achieved $ 3.8 bn exports in 2012. And this year we are aiming at an apparel exports revenue of $4.1 bn,” said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka on April 9 .

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparels (SLITA) Awards 2013 event on April 9 at the BMICH. Operating under Minister Bathiudeen’s Industry and Commerce Ministry, SLITA, Lanka’s apparel training, development and consultancy giant, not only conducts sessions for Sri Lankan participants but also students from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. SLITA, which reported earnings of $757,000 in 2012, also provides its services outside the country on requests made by the Apparel Export Promotion Council of India. The April 9 event, the second awards to be held after 2010, was in fact three events in one- awarding of apparel diplomas, awarding of Sri Lanka’s first trained batch of leather and footwear students, as well as awards for 36 SME apparel factories for achievements in productivity. 182 new apparel graduates –skilled in middle level-received awards from Minister Bathiudeen on April 9 .

“I commend SLITA for being a self-sustaining institution and not looking for any state funds from the Treasury,” said Minister Bathiudeen, praising SLITA’s revenues which was reported at $757,000 (Rs 95 mn) in 2012. “To achieve the $ 4 bn target, my Ministry has already invested $ 1.39 mn during the last five years for apparel productivity improvement and SME apparel skills development programmes. This year we are spending another US$ 160,000, on the same programmes.

More importantly I am pleased to say that for the first time we are now planning to link Sri Lanka’s SME apparel exporters to the ASYCUDA global customs electronic system. If our current preparations continue as planned we believe that we can link our SME apparel exporters’ shipments to the ASYCUDA global e-system by May 2013,” added Minister Bathiudeen.

In 2012 Sri Lanka’s apparel exports recorded $ 2.83 bn earnings, of which $ 1.53 bn was from the US, and $ 1.86 bn, was from the EU, despite the challenging situation in these markets. In the same year 71 SME garment exporters shipped $ 46.7 mn apparel from Sri Lanka showing the unrealised future growth potential this SME apparel sector has.