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‘Free Trade Agreements essential to enhancing Sri Lankan apparel’s resilience’

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4 years ago

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Apparel sector in urgent discussions with government on FTAs to boost exports

With fears of a global economic recession looming, the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) is actively stepping up engagement with top Government and Foreign Ministry officials to expedite negotiations on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to help boost exports and strengthen the industry’s resilience.Elaborating on the progress thus far, Deputy Chairman of JAAF and Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Omega Line Felix Fernando outlined key priorities for the industry moving forward. Following are excerpts:

Q: What progress has been made in engaging with the Government to address challenges faced by the apparel sector?

A: There has been strong progress made and we are appreciative that the Government has given weight to our concerns. Most recently, we had separate meetings with the Secretary to the President, the Prime Minister and President. During these meetings, we voiced our concerns over the various challenges faced by the industry resulting from both local and global volatility.

In fact, even in August, we saw a 20% increase in turnover generated by the sector. If this trend continues, we anticipate apparel sector earnings to increase to approximately USD 5.6 billion by the end of 2022. However, it is difficult to anticipate industry performance moving into 2023, given the geo-political tensions and economic volatility created by the situation in Europe – which is home to many of Sri Lanka’s most valuable markets. Currently, the US, EU and the UK comprise about 86% of our total exports.In such a challenging environment, it is essential for Sri Lankan apparel entities to diversify their markets. Hence a central focus for our discussions with Government has been the urgent need to finalize FTAs with countries like China, India, Japan and Australia.

,JAAF was pleased to note that the Secretary to the Prime Minister has been appointed to head a task force to expedite the Chinese FTA, and we are already seeing promising signs of progress. We are also pleased to note that JAAF has already been called in for these discussions although they remain at a preliminary stage at present.

Q: What role will economic reforms play in the apparel sector’s ongoing revival?

A: Fundamental reform in economic policy is absolutely critical. Sri Lanka is a small country with 22 million people, which means we simply cannot generate the economies of scale necessary to directly produce everything we require within a closed economy – especially if we hope to continue having access to quality and reasonably priced goods. Therefore we have to focus on export development in order to fund imports of commodities and goods imperative to keep our economy moving. Fortunately, the Government and the industry are in complete agreement on this point.

We also have must remember that at present, Sri Lanka is not competing on a level playing field. Our main competitors, countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and some African nations have duty concessions in global markets, which we do not have. Sri Lanka’s only concessions are for the UK and the EU markets, and those come coupled with a variety of strict conditions pertaining to the origin of raw materials which means that utilisation of these preferences remain around 50% for apparel.

Securing new FTAs can help reduce barriers for Sri Lankan apparel exporters to diversify, hence the Chinese FTA is our first priority. We hope to gain clarity on a timeline for these negotiations from the Department of Commerce in the coming weeks, but further progress will also depend on our sovereign debt restructuring negotiations with China. Further trade concessions will help to better integrate Sri Lanka with regional markets. If for example we are able to penetrate the Indian market, even 10% would be equivalent to 100 million people, where we are presently limited to supplying just 8 million pieces. JAAF has reiterated its request to have this quota increased. There’s also opportunities to lobby for the including of apparel into the new round of Canada’s GPT+ scheme. To move forward on such opportunities, we definitely require the support of the Government and diplomatic corps.

Q: How have import restrictions impacted the apparel industry- especially in terms of the raw materials needed?

A: As the sector was permitted to use its foreign remittances for the purpose of payment for imported raw materials, for the most part, the industry was able to meet its requirements without an issue. The export figures for recent months bear testament to the industry’s ability to deliver during this difficult period.. However, the crisis also meant a significant tightening of financing and this has been particularly challenging for the SME sector as they operate on small margins, and mainly provide support services to the main exporters. This is a sector which provides livelihoods for approximately 40,000 people, hence it is critical that we support them.

In many instances, they lack the working capital and foreign currency needed to purchase machinery and spare parts in order to expand capacity to service larger orders. Despite all the struggles faced, SMEs are still surviving for now, but without formal programmes to support them, this may not last. Most SMEs depend on the larger exporters and manufacturers. Once their orders are cut down, SME orders also decline. With the higher cost of living in Sri Lanka, salaries have also been adjusted across the apparel industry, but with orders declining, employees may see a reduction in earnings, impacted by the decrease of production incentives and overtime. This will affect employees’ monthly earnings and we need to be conscious of the cascading potential social impacts this could have, as their buying power is also weakened.

Q: How would an economic downturn impact orders from the US and EU moving forward?

A: Both markets last year recorded strong sales. But they may have overestimated demand as most buyers’ inventories are still full. Thus, they don’t want to restock for at least another 4 to 6 months.Recently, the US increased its lending rates by 0.75%, and there is a possibility that certain commodity prices might decline. If that happens, this whole situation can change, but it’s still too early to predict. Logistics and energy costs increased exponentially not just in the US but also in the EU, primarily due to the Ukraine war. If these issues ease by December, orders may pick up. But this is a global issue and not unique to Sri Lanka. Although the first 8 months of the year had a growth in exports, we envisage a decline in our apparel exports by 25-30% for the remainder of 2022.


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Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026

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7 hours ago

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2026/06/16

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Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.03.2026 to obtain United States Dollars 380 million from the policy – based loan facilities of the Asian Development Bank in the year 2026.

United States Dollars 100 million out of it is allocated for Trade, Investment and Industries Development Programme – Sub Programme 1. However, amidst the economic uncertainty resulting from the current Middle East crisis and the climatic tragedies, the Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist
by increasing a supplementary financing package of United States Dollars 100 million so that it will beMincreased up to United States Dollars 200 million.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to take further measures to obtain the said loan grant.

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Development deficit getting in the way of SL joining RCEP – Trade Ministry Secretary

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21 hours ago

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2026/06/16

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Principal panelists at Pathfinder Foundation forum.

Sri Lanka is not quite ready to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), since it is lacking sufficient development, Trade Ministry Secretary K.A. Vimalenthirarajah said.

‘At present the Trade Ministry is establishing Sri Lanka’s readiness to join RCEP, which consists of 15 countries, through several channels, Vimalenthirarajah said at a recent round table discussion titled, ‘Sri Lanka’s Pathway to RCEP and the Emerging Global Trading Order’, organized by the Pathfinder Foundation and held at the Colombo Club, Taj Samudra.

‘Sri Lanka is actively accelerating its compliance efforts to join the 15-nation RCEP having submitted its required accession questionnaire in early 2026, he explained.

Vimalenthirarajah added: ‘The Cabinet has established a high-level policy and working committee and also obtained some technical assistance from multilateral partners because complying with RCEP requirements is challenging. Subsequently, this body responded to the follow-up questions that came up and had discussions with RCEP representatives and it expects more follow-up questions with regard to Sri Lanka’s readiness to join RCEP.

‘Sri Lanka has also secured political and diplomatic support from current RCEP members, including Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, to facilitate its entry process.’

Meanwhile, state officials, including Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, are implementing key economic structural reforms, a new tariff policy, and transparent investment criteria required by the bloc. Because formal accession protocols for RCEP are still being finalized, Sri Lanka is also simultaneously negotiating bilateral trade and investment agreements with regional members to accelerate integration.

Abeysinghe, participating virtually in the event said that Sri Lanka cannot achieve sustained export growth and attract large-scale investment by relying solely on its domestic market. ‘As a small economy, the country’s future lies in deeper integration with regional and global value chains. RCEP connects 15 economies, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, China and ASEAN member states, collectively accounting for nearly 30% of global trade, he explained.

Abeysinghe added: ‘Access to such a market would create new opportunities for Sri Lankan businesses, particularly the country’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which currently contribute only around 10 percent to national exports.

‘However, Sri Lanka is at least a decade behind in implementing many of the reforms required to fully participate in modern global trade. Recognizing this challenge, the government is now moving forward with several critical reforms: A new tariff policy to improve competitiveness and eliminate barriers to trade, transparent and predictable investment criteria, investment facilitation reforms to improve the ease of doing business, new legislation including the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act and SOE reforms to strengthen investor confidence and measures to improve investment protection and unlock new sources of capital, including venture capital and angel investment funds.

‘Sri Lanka’s exports currently stand at approximately US$ 17 billion and have grown only gradually over the years. Expanding market access through bilateral and multilateral agreements, while continuing domestic reforms, is essential if the country is to achieve its long-term economic ambitions.’

By Hiran H Senewiratne

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Pussalla Agri Ventures secures EU, USDA organic certs, paving way for high-value exports

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21 hours ago

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2026/06/16

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Roshan Ranawake, Managing Director of Control Union Sri Lanka, presents the certification to Philip J. Wewita, Chairman of Pussalla Agri Ventures (Pvt) Ltd, in the presence of Dr. Chamindi Jayasooriya, Director, and members of the Pussalla Agri Ventures team.

In a landmark development for Sri Lanka’s organic spice sector, Pussalla Agri Ventures has been awarded both EU Organic and USDA Organic certifications for its premium Ceylon cinnamon products. The certifications were officially conferred at Control Union Sri Lanka, signaling a major milestone in the company’s strategic transformation toward fully certified organic operations.

The recognition strengthens Pussalla Agri Ventures’ position as an emerging exporter of certified organic products, with its flagship offering, organic Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, also known as Cinnamomum zeylanicum), cultivated in Sri Lanka’s traditional cinnamon-growing regions.

Notably, the dual certification opens doors to some of the world’s most lucrative and compliance-driven organic markets, including the European Union and the United States.

Pussalla Agri Ventures began its structured transition into organic cinnamon cultivation several years ago, building a fully integrated system covering cultivation, processing, and value addition. The company currently manages extensive cinnamon cultivation lands and operates under strict organic agricultural principles, ensuring compliance with global certification standards.

These certifications, issued through Control Union Sri Lanka, validate that the company’s farming and processing systems meet rigorous international requirements, including restrictions on synthetic chemicals, comprehensive traceability controls, and environmental sustainability practices. These certifications add to an existing portfolio that already includes SL GAP, Food GMP, and Cosmetic GMP certifications.

Company representatives described the achievement as a “milestone” in the Pussalla organic journey, one that paves the way for expanded access to premium export markets in Europe and the United States. According to them, the certifications are expected to enhance buyer confidence, particularly among health-conscious consumers and clean-label food brands.

Pussalla Agri Ventures emphasised that its organic cinnamon is sourced entirely from its own cultivated estates.

“This estate-to-exporter integration ensures full control over quality, traceability, and processing integrity. The company’s model allows cinnamon to be harvested, processed, and packed under continuously monitored conditions, maintaining strict alignment with international organic standards,” they noted.

Speaking further they said:

“Sri Lanka supplies the majority of the world’s True Ceylon Cinnamon, a spice prized for its delicate aroma, low coumarin levels, and reputed medicinal properties. The growing global demand for certified organic spices has created new opportunities for local producers who meet international compliance standards. Pussalla Agri Ventures’ certification achievement places it among a select group of Sri Lankan exporters adopting globally recognised organic systems, thereby enhancing the country’s reputation in high-value spice markets.”

“As organic food sales continue to rise in North America and Europe, certifications such as these are becoming essential rather than optional. For Pussalla Agri Ventures, the journey from conventional to certified organic is not merely a compliance exercise but a strategic repositioning aimed at long-term sustainability and premium pricing power.”

By Sanath Nanayakkare

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