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| Thursday, 21 October 2004 |
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Ceylon Trade Links to sell Laksala products down under by Irangika Range The Ministry of Small and Rural Industries has appointed Ceylon Trade Links (Pty.) Ltd. as an official agent to sell Laksala products in Australia. The Ministry hopes that this would promote and develop a new market in Australia for local craftsmen. The agreement was signed on Friday by the Director of Ceylon Trade Links (Pty.) Ltd Aloka Weerasinghe and Laksala Chairman S. A. D. Sumanasiri. Deputy Minister of Small and Rural Industries Sunil Handunnetti said that the government has planned to implement handicraft-focussed strategies to promote local arts and crafts in other countries. "This is a major step the ministry has taken in this area. The ministry has decided to implement this program further by appointing more local-based sales agents in other countries in the future," he said. "Plans are also under way to offer Laksala orders directly to selected countries such as Japan, China and the Maldives. Under this program the government is expecting to introduce local products and services with the support of private companies," the deputy minister said. The Deputy Minister said this is a good opportunity for Laksala to develop local arts and crafts by introducing novel designs and techniques to suit the international market. "The majority of handicrafts industrialists are small and medium scale companies in Sri Lanka and many attractive traditional items are made by expertly skilled local craftsman. Laksala has now changed the export procedure of traditional items and it is now getting more foreign orders," he said. Ceylon Trade Links (Pty) Ltd's Marketing Advisor Pubudu Weerasinghe said the company will introduce over 500 local arts and crafts such as silver jewellery, silver and bronze products, ceramic goods, handicrafts items, masks, batiks, pottery and other related products. The company had carried out a market survey in the Australian market. "We have identified two types of customers such as Sri Lankan residents in Australia and Australian residents. The company will consider both customers requirements by getting assistance from Laksala," he said. "We will also launch a web-site to display local products in the future. The web-site will provide facilities to recognise local products and consumers would have the facility for direct orders. Laksala would give maximum support by providing advice and guidance to the company," Weerasinghe said. |
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