Despite challenges, the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka’s (AHK) steadfast commitment to fostering international trade relations bore fruit with this year as 11 exhibitors from Sri Lanka, up from five exhibitors in 2018 participated at in the 88th International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin Germany from January 19 to 28.
Apart from showcasing their product ranges to buyers, the exhibitors benefitted from interacting with consumers, observing new developments and offerings from other countries, and thereby broadening their experiences.
The Sri Lanka pavilion showcased export products such as tea, coconut and coconut-based products, spices, fruit and fruit-related items, and authentic ready-to-eat Sri Lankan food products.
The pavilion was organised by the AHK Sri Lanka to promote Sri Lankan food products on the international level; marking it the fourth time AHK Sri Lanka has curated the Sri Lankan pavilion at IGW.
With over 1,400 exhibitors from 65 countries and a remarkable attendance of more than 400,000 visitors, the IGW garnered extensive coverage from over 1,900 accredited journalists representing 25 countries.
The pavilion was launched, with the participation of the Sri Lanka Ambassador to Germany, Varuni Muthukumarana, and Head of Corporate Affairs and Export Promotions, Malintha Gajanayake.
During her interaction with the exhibitors, Ambassador Muthukumarana outlined the significance of Sri Lanka participation in German trade fairs such as IGW due to exporters getting exposure to European standards and markets. She described consistent participation in such exhibitions, adherence to international standards, and building strong relationships as key to the sustainable increase of export of Sri Lankan agricultural products to the European market, including to Germany.
Gajanayake, said, “Germany is Sri Lanka’s fourth largest export market, and it has been a reliable export partner for many years. It is extremely important for Sri Lankan exporters to continue participating in major international trade exhibitions with a defined strategy.
“The comments from trade visitors and end customers on Sri Lankan products, particularly tea, spices, coconut-based items, and rubber and rubber-based products, were positive. We will have a strong opportunity to increase the export capacity to German and EU markets in the future,” he said.
AHK Sri Lanka is always committed to fair business and sustainable long term business relations and is part of the German Chamber Network supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
