Lankan gems, jewellery to shine in South India

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Moves are under way by the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Ministry to promote Sri Lankan gems and jewellery in the Southern India market.

A meeting was held to discuss preliminary arrangements to organise an exhibition in Chennai next month aiming to find out the possibilities of exploring the market potential for the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery trade. The meeting was chaired by Enterprise Development Minister Mano Wijerathne.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Wijerathne appreciated the assistance by Sri Lankan diplomatic missions abroad in fetching international markets for products and services of Sri Lanka. He said these efforts served the proliferation of small and medium scale enterprises in addition to the expansion of business activities of exports.

“Sri Lanka has to make inroads into the South Indian market since the South Indian market has recorded a rapid economic growth”, the Minister said.

The Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Southern India, P.M. Amza pointed out that he had observed that there existed a promising market for Sri Lankan gem and jewellery in many parts of South India which has recorded a growth rate exceeding nine per cent.

“Apart from focusing the main attention on the gem and jewellery industry the diplomatic mission in Southern India has decided to showcase Sri Lankan products such as handicrafts, batiks and indigenous medicines,” Amza said.