Scope for Lanka to trade tea, rubber and betel to Pakistan - President, Lanka-Pakistan Business Council

COUNCIL: The Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Council held its Annual General Meeting at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last week. The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Shahzad A. Chaudhary was the chief guest.

President of the Council Gulam Chatoor said there was a scope for Sri Lanka to export large quantities of tea, rubber and betel to Pakistan and import more cotton, plastic, fish, glass and fruits from Pakistan following the tariff connections introduced by the FTA between the two countries.

Chatoor added that the Council members should take advantage of its affiliation to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce which has a history of over 160 years.

This affiliation to the Chamber, he pointed out, enables the Council to reach out to over 1000 entrepreneurs. Chatoor commended these positive factors and move forward to expand more trade, both ways, between the two countries.

Ambassador Chaudhary told the members to look beyond the traditional items that are being traded, because, he argued that the human base is fixed, as one can only sell that much of tea or betel leaves to Pakistan just as much as there is a limit on the potatoes one can import from Pakistan.

He emphasised that one should look at, for instance, getting down larger quantities of yarn or textiles from Pakistan converting them into garments in Sri Lanka and exporting the garments.

The more garments Sri Lanka imports, the greater will be the growth achieved by her. Similarly, another advantage would be the GSP + facility enjoyed by Sri Lanka where nations having the FTA with Sri Lanka can utilise to achieve growth, such activities would have to be brought into play.