The Chinese delegation which attended the recently concluded FACETS Sri Lanka 2011 Exhibition has made transactions to the value of over US$ 3 million while the Russian delegation has made high value purchases exceeding US$ 1 million.

The exhibition has been very successful with entrepreneurs sealing deals of over US $ 10 million during the four-day event held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre in Colombo last week.

More than 7300 visitors attended the show of which more than 1300 were foreign visitors. The topmost preference for foreign buyers was the Ceylon Blue Sapphire.

Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) Secretary Ziqufi Ismail said that there was a 14-member delegation from Moscow organized by the EDB and two Chinese delegations for this year’s show.

He said the association is now confident that the gem and jewellery exports could reach US$ 1 billion export target set by the Government, to be rached by 2016. Last year, Sri Lanka exported diamonds and jewellery to the value of US$ 335 million and US$ 70 million worth gems.