Iraq, Sri Lanka’s largest buyer of tea in 2018
Iraq was the largest buyer of Ceylon Tea in 2018 purchasing a quantity of 13.5 million kgs.
This was revealed by (Rtd) Maj Gen Niranjan Ranasinghe, former Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Iraq while addressing the Sri Lanka – Kurdistan Business Forum organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce held this week in the chamber auditorium in Colombo.
He said that Kurdistan consists of three provinces and Iraq has 18 provinces. The Kurdistan Province consumes more than 55 to 60 per cent of Ceylon Tea sent to Iraq.
He said that when he was selected to serve as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Iraq, the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe gave him two advices – first to try to increase the purchase of tea by Iraq and the other was to establish and strengthen the relationship with the regions.
Opening the forum and explaining Iraq’s outlook in promoting trade and industry, Dr. Ahmad Jalal, Counsel General for Sri Lanka in Erbil, Iraq said that investments have during the recent years increased significantly, in all cities in the Kurdistan region, in terms of the number of companies operating in various fields, in addition to foreign companies investing in this region.
The main reason, he said behind this development in the investment sector is the rational policy of their government in addition to security and stability coupled with peace enjoyed in these cities in Kurdistan region. This enabled the giant commercial and economic companies flocking into these cities to open and participate in international exhibitions that are held annually in this region, he said.
He said that necessary facilities are provided for businesspersons and investors in many fields, including industrial, housing and agricultural investments and another important factor is the development and strengthening of relations in all areas.
He wished that this initiative between the Kurdistan Region and Sri Lanka will be a good initiative to develop and strengthen economic, commercial, agricultural, educational and cultural relations in all aspects between the two countries.
During the business integration session that followed the signing of the MOU between the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Kurdistan Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a large number of Sri Lankan businessmen had mutual discussions with the Kurdistan Chamber members to promote the business and industries in Kurdistan.
Seerwan Mohammed Mahmoud, Deputy President, Kurdistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, elaborated on the modalities of the discussion and trade arrangements between the members of the two chambers.