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awards are important not only to encourage exporters
but also to take our country to the status of a developed
nation. The task of our exporters is not easy as we
are a small country. A major challenge before you is
to produce goods at prices competitive in the international
market.
However, it is difficult to reduce
the cost of production as large scale production cannot
be undertaken in our country, which makes it difficult
to export quality commodities at competitive prices.
We have to respond to the demand
in the foreign market as we are not able to create demand;
as it is not easy to create a demand for commodities
we offer. It is not easy to market new goods under our
own brand names.
We must carefully study the international
markets and conduct market research. However, exporters
have told me that they cannot afford to do so individually.
We have to compete with multi-national companies that
are engaged in large-scale manufacture.
I am glad that our exporters are
not deterred by these challenges. Already our exporters
have been able to account for nearly 25 per cent of
the country’s GDP. We have not forgotten our exporters
saying we are only a small country, or that we are at
war. Already, we have fulfilled many pledges given in
the Mahinda Chinthana for exporters. In the last Budget
we gave much relief to exporters. I know that our Minister
of Export Promotion Prof. G. L Peiris is using many
strategies to achieve success in the international markets.
We arrange meetings between producers
and exporters. Already 36 exporters have availed themselves
of the Rs. 10 million export development subsidy granted
by the Budget. We provide access to foreign technology
and knowledge, to innovatively face the international
market.
We know how difficult it is to compete in the international
markets with new brand names of our own. Therefore,
we make use of prestigious names from our history. Ceylon
Tea was very famous in the international markets. It
was a name established by imperialists for business
purposes. We retain the famous and prestigious brand
name Ceylon in our exports.
The Portuguese and the Dutch came
to Sri Lanka mainly in search of spices such as cinnamon
and pepper. Although there was a tragedy behind this,
we now control 85 per cent of the world cinnamon market.
Today, there is an alternative to cinnamon known as
cassia in the world market. If we improve the quality
of our cinnamon this will not be a challenge to us.
It is useless blaming our history
and hating King Rajasingha and the imperialists. We
know only what the English told us about King Rajasingha.
Those who have always been with the English from the
past hate our kings and national leaders. We cannot
hate history in that manner.
We know the former Exports Promotion
Minister Lalith Athulathmudali established export promotion
villages. We have not abandoned them because they were
established by him. While modernizing these export villages
to suit the present times, we seek to bestow our own
honour and that of the exporters on Mr. Athulathmudali.
I am both amazed and sorry at the emergence, from the
same place as such advanced politicians as Mr. Athulathmudali,
of backward and spiteful politicians who say they will
not repay development loan obtained by Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Every development and political task
we undertake in the country will usher in a beneficial
future to you as exporters. Our recent visit to China
has been assessed in terms of the number of participants
and the expenses incurred. Yet, we were able during
that visit to show the Chinese our adverse trade balance
with them. As a result, the doors are now being opened
for us in the large Chinese market. We utilized every
second of our foreign visit to promote our products
and exports, and to obtain tangible benefits to the
country. Others use every second of their foreign visits
to damage and defile the good name of the country, I
have heard of some politicians who insult our country
ands damage its reputation when abroad.
As exporters when you travel abroad
it will be to our advantage if you act in a manner as
to bring benefits to the country. We are working with
dedication to safeguard peace in our country. It is
difficult to engage in industry in a country where there
is no peace. We are dedicated to eradicate terrorism
from our country. We carry forward our development programme
simultaneously.
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