These 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.
