Business

Geographical Indications for Sri Lankan products: The need to expand local registration

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/10

Sri Lanka obtained its first-ever Geographical Indication (GI) certification on 02 February 2022 for ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ from the European Union due to untiring efforts during the last nine years. Ceylon Cinnamon is now in the register of Protected Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and it was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Can we similarly market and protect distinctive Sri Lankan products such as Ceylon Tea, Ceylon Blue Sapphire, Ruhunu Curd, Dumbara Mats, Ambalangoda Masks and so on? Yes, marketing and protecting geographically unique products are possible by implementing a robust GI system with local registration to support obtaining international registration and protection.

What is a GI?

GI is a labelling system that identifies a product originating from a specific geographical area. It recognises qualities, characteristics, or the product’s reputation that are importantly linked or attributable to its location. The environmental and human factors in such areas help create a high-quality product. An Intellectual Property Right (IPR), GIs protect producers in the identified geographical location who meet the specific standards listed in the GI registration. More than 160 countries have already implemented GI systems for agriculture, handicrafts, food, and wine products. India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia are some of Sri Lanka’s Asian neighbours which enjoy GI’s economic and social benefits. For example, India introduced GI in 2003 and has registered nearly 400 products, of which more than 100 products are in agriculture. Thailand also introduced GIs in 2003, and by 2019, there were about 100 GI-protected products covering rice, vegetables, fruits, wine, and spirits.

Economic and Social Benefits of GIs

Both developed and developing countries have identified GIs as a potential tool to improve the agriculture and traditional handicrafts sectors by assuring the quality of the products. As in other forms IPRs, GIs also attempt to solve market failures such as information asymmetry. The economic benefits of GIs for producers are similar to the benefits of protecting trademarks and patents. It rewards producers from a geographical area and prevents outside producers who do not meet the production requirement from using such benefits.

Producers receive increased profits by obtaining a price premium for their geographically specific, high-quality products. Studies have shown that the price premium for GI products increase from 20% to 50% compared to non-GI products. For example, in the European Union (EU), the price of a GI product has been estimated to be 2.23 times higher than that of a comparable non-GI product (on average, 1.5 times more for agro-food products). As a policy instrument, GIs have positive implications for protecting indigenous knowledge and generating livelihoods and income for all stakeholders in the value chain. A strong GI eco-system will also attract new investments to the selected regions, thereby boosting the socio-economic development of rural areas. Thus, the country will gain several socio-economic benefits with a GI system.

GI in Sri Lanka: Slow Progress of Local Registration

According to Sri Lanka’s existing IP law, GIs can be protected in three methods. First, as a trademark law in the form of certification mark or a collective mark; second, as a mode of business practice which prevents unfair competition and provides consumer protection; and third, as a sui generis system – i.e. a system of its own. The World Trade Organization’s (WTOs), Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement ( TRIPs) agreement does not impose any method and it is based on the country’s legal system. Some countries may have two or three protection systems, and there are pros and cons in each system. It is said that the sui generis system offers the most comprehensive protection for GIs. Internationally most of the countries that use sui generis protection system have a registration system where GIs are registered in a national registry governed by the national authorities.

Sri Lanka obtained certification marks for ‘Ceylon Tea’ in 2010 and ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’ in 2013 which provide local registration for these goods. However, Sri Lanka has not been able to expand local protection for several other similarly unique products yet due to several reasons. The absence of a national registry in the sui generis system and the costly nature of obtaining trademark protection, which require annual renewals, are among the most salient reasons. Added to this, the relevant authorities are not actively identifying potential products and encouraging stakeholders to protect their unique products. Furthermore, stakeholders, especially producers, are not aware of the GI system and there is no mechanism to support stakeholders to obtain local GI registration. The delay in local registration hinders the international registration as it is a prerequisite to go for international registration.

In 2018, as an initial step to create a national registry system for Sri Lanka, an amendment to the existing IP Act was introduced. The amendment confers power to the Minister to prescribe geographical indication in respect of any goods or products. However, as several legal and academic practitioners highlighted, the selection criteria, application procedure, and the modalities of how the GI is prescribed were not specified in the 2018 amendment. A new amendment on the GI registration system which introduces the procedure was tabled in the Parliament this year, the quick passage of which would be beneficial for Sri Lankan producers looking at securing GIs for their products.

Way Forward

A strong GI eco-system motivates all stakeholders in the value chain to protect the uniqueness of their products. This can significantly boost economic development. Therefore, Sri Lanka needs to swiftly pass the new amendment to the IP Act to enable the implantation of a local GI registration system. Equally, it is necessary to identify potential GI products with stakeholders’ support, encourage and build the capacity of relevant agencies for quality control, and encourage producers at the grassroots level to work towards securing GI certification. Further, it is essential to create a mechanism to link stakeholders with the relevant government agencies to obtain local registration initially and then go for international registration. Most importantly, creating awareness among all value chain actors is crucial as they are – finally – the intellectual property owners of their products.

Link to the full Talking Economics blog: https://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2022/03/07/geographical-indications-gis-for-sri-lankan-products-the-need-to-expand-local-registration/

Dilani Hirimuthugodage is a Research Economist at IPS with research interests in Agriculture and Agribusiness Development, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, and Intellectual Property. She holds a BA in Economics with a Second Class (Upper) and Masters in Economics (Distinction Pass) from the University of Colombo. In addition, she is a part-qualified candidate of CIMA-UK. (Talk with Dilani: dilani@ips.lk).

Piyumi Rasangi was a Project Intern at IPS’ Agriculture & Agribusiness Development team.

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Business

ADB-funded Thalaiyadi plant serves as blueprint for vulnerable dry zones in Sri Lanka

Published

3 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

Thalaiyadi SWRO desalination plant Photo Credit: ADB

Sri Lanka should adopt a diversified water-security strategy, says chief engineer

By Sanath Nanayakkare

For generations, the Jaffna Peninsula has relied almost entirely on an underground freshwater lens. With no major perennial rivers to lean on, the region has long walked a tightrope between water scarcity, seasonal droughts, and a creeping groundwater salinity that has challenged communities across the North. Today, however, a monumental shift is underway along the windswept Vadamaradchi coast.

To understand how Sri Lanka is rewriting its water security playbook, one need only look to the Thalaiyadi Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant.

V. Vijayakanth, Chief Engineer of the Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JKWSSP), recently explained the engineering marvels, environmental safeguards, and long-term vision driving this landmark infrastructure project.

“Building a multi-million-gallon desalination plant on an open, deep-sea coastline facing the Indian Ocean was no small feat,” he said.

Vijayakanth noted that the project required extensive marine, geotechnical, and ecological investigations before a single pipe was laid.

“The scale of the marine installation was striking: an intake and outfall system featuring roughly 1,300 metres of large-diameter pipeline, buried two metres beneath the seabed in water depths reaching up to 12 metres. Because ocean work is strictly dictated by nature, the team had to mobilise an excavator-mounted barge from India and execute a complex offshore operation within a very tight window before the onset of the monsoon.”

“One of the greatest historical hurdles of reverse osmosis technology has been its heavy appetite for electricity. To keep operational costs in check, the Thalaiyady plant integrates state-of-the-art isobaric pressure-exchanger energy recovery systems. These devices capture hydraulic energy from the high-pressure brine reject stream and transfer it directly back to the incoming seawater feed – recovering roughly 95% of available energy and slashing power requirements.”

“Environmental stewardship was equally central to the design. To prevent high-salinity discharge from harming the marine ecosystem, the plant utilizes an offshore outfall equipped with specialized diffusers positioned more than 500 metres from the shore. This ensures rapid mixing within a tightly monitored zone, safeguarding local marine life,” he said.

Karaveddi Water Supply Scheme

The impact of the plant is already tangible on the ground. Producing water that meets rigorous national quality standards (SLS 614:2013), the facility feeds into a vast transmission network linked to elevated service reservoirs. These tanks regulate hydraulic pressure across sprawling distribution routes, bringing relief to areas historically plagued by hard, brackish water.

V. Vijayakanth, Chief Engineer of Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JKWSSP)

Currently, about 1,600 households in the Karaveddi Zone are actively connected to the desalinated supply, with water flowing across a regional network stretching from Kodikamam and Jaffna City down to distant island communities like Delft, Kayts and Punguduthivu.

The peninsula’s total daily drinking water demand hovers around 50,000 cubic metres for a population of roughly 600,000. Operating at full capacity, the Thalaiyadi plant yields 24,000 cubic metres per day – meeting nearly half of the region’s current needs.

Yet, planners are already looking decades ahead. Driven by economic development, tourism, and proposed industrial zones like Kankesanthurai, projected potable water requirements for domestic, commercial, and industrial needs are expected to climb from 95,000 cubic metres per day in 2025 to 135,000 by 2045, and 175,000 by 2065. Meeting this future trajectory will require a diversified national strategy combining desalination with surface-water preservation and rainwater harvesting.

When asked whether Sri Lanka should lean exclusively on seawater conversion amid intensifying climate volatility, Vijayakanth emphasised the need for a balanced approach: “Sri Lanka should adopt a diversified water-security strategy, prioritising sustainable surface-water development, groundwater protection, rainwater harvesting, water conservation, treated wastewater reuse and catchment protection. Desalination can complement these sources as a valuable climate-resilient and drought-proof option where appropriate.”

Backed by financial and technical collaboration from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project has given the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) invaluable expertise in advanced desalination management. Crucially, a two-year hands-on training program is ensuring that local technical staff master everything from membrane upkeep to preventive maintenance.

As climate variability accelerates, Thalaiyadi serves as a vital proof-of-concept. While energy-intensive desalination cannot replace conventional freshwater sources everywhere, Vijayakanth emphasises that it stands as an indispensable, drought-proof shield for Sri Lanka’s vulnerable dry zones – turning the ocean itself into a secure foundation for the nation’s future.

Business

Tropic Of Linen takes new form at The Shoppes at City of Dreams

Published

3 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

From left: Tropic Of Linen Founders Minha Akram and Shukran Salih

Sri Lankan fashion label Tropic Of Linen recently opened the doors to its second boutique, located at The Shoppes at City of Dreams.

For over a decade, linen has formed the core of the brand’s inspiration and business ethos. Its textures, movement, and natural irregularities carry through the striking interior of Tropic Of Linen’s newly opened second store. Large sculptural forms in wind-worn sandstone sit against softer curves, while a grand olive tree anchors the heart of the store, reaching up toward a skylight and giving life to the entire space.

Drawing on her background in fine art and design, co-founder Minha Akram envisioned a layered, sensory interior intended to draw people into the world of Tropic Of Linen and invite them to linger.

Business

ANC Education celebrates ‘Class of 2026’ at graduation ceremony in Colombo

Published

3 hours ago

2026/08/31

Thilina Walpola

The ceremony marked both a conclusion and a new beginning, with ANC celebrating student progress and future success

ANC Education held its 2026 graduation ceremony at BMICH, Colombo, celebrating graduates across multiple programmes. The cohort included 53 BBA graduates from Northwood University, 22 Psychological Sciences graduates from Northern Arizona University, 320 Pearson BTEC HND graduates, and 29 BTEC Level 7 graduates, alongside foundation, diploma, and transfer pathway students. Senior representatives from partner institutions attended.

Best Performer Awards recognised outstanding academic achievement. The event honoured years of hard work and support from families and educators. Since 2002, ANC has provided local and international pathways. Graduates now pursue careers, further studies, or international opportunities.