The Exhibition is scheduled to be held from March 28-30, 2012 at the BMICH, Colombo.

The country has chalked out a programme to develop seven thrust areas for exports, Janaka Ratnayake, Chairman and Chief Executive of Sri Lanka Export Development Board told Business Line. He said that one of them is tea. He further said that the Government would launch a campaign for promoting Ceylon Tea, committing “a billion rupees” for the effort. Participating in international fairs, engaging with international media are some of the elements of the effort.

Similarly, Sri Lanka wants to promote rubber and rubber products. Mr Kosala Wickramanayake, Past President, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, said that efforts were on to begin rubber cultivation in Vavunia and Kilinochi – the “newly liberated” regions.

On trade with India, Export Development Board Chairman reiterated Sri Lanka's demand for a “fresh look” at the current pattern of Indo-Sri Lanka trade, which is today hugely in India's favour. India exports to Sri Lanka goods worth $4 billion, and imports only $0.5 billion.

Mr Somi Hazari, Chairman and Managing Director of the Chennai-based Shosova group, and a former President of the Indo-Asean-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce, said that there were several non-tariff barriers for Sri Lankan goods to come to India.