Export Promotion and Market Access for Agriculture and Food Products in Major Global Markets

19 – 21 September 2017
Renuka City Hotel, Colombo 03

IPS Research Fellow, Manoj Thibbotuwawa, recently highlighted the importance of improved regional corporation in addressing barriers for agricultural export promotion and achieving market access.

Meanwhile, the Senior Programme Specialist of the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Thushara Wickramaarachchi, noted the need to document the lessons learnt on agri-commodity exports in the region and identify the prioritized capacity building needs on exports as well as to outline a holistic approach for promotion of agricultural exports in SAARC countries.

They expressed these views at a regional consultation workshop on ‘Export Promotion and Market Access for Agriculture and Food Products in Major Global Markets,’ conducted by IPS together with the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) in Colombo on 19 – 21 September 2017. The main aim of the three day event was to facilitate a dialogue between policy makers from the South Asian countries, to identify rational and feasible policy options to enhance market access and promote of agri-food exports, based on the current status, opportunities, challenges and best practices in the region.

This regional workshop brought together high level representatives from all the eight South Asian Countries and selected local resource persons from the government, private sector, universities and research organizations.

IPS Research Fellows, Athula Senaratne and Manoj Thibbotuwawa, chaired the sessions on ‘Country Perspectives on Export Promotion and Market Access for Agriculture and Food Products in Major Global Markets’ and ‘Local Experiences and case Studies on Agricultural Exports’ respectively.

To give a practical exposure, participants were accompanied to two of the leading export companies in Sri Lanka: HJS Condiments Limited and EOAS Organics.

IPS Research Officer, Dilani Hirimuthugodage, and Project Officer, Anita Perera, also participated at the workshop.

Download Presentations: 

Afghanistan Country Paper, Mr. Abdual Jalil Zahid (Director General for Planning and Program Coordination, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Afghanistan

Bangladesh Country Paper, Dr. Alhaz Uddin Ahammed (Additional Director, Department of Agricultural Extension, Bangladesh)

Bhutan Country Paper,  Mr. Yonten Gyamtsho (Chief Marketing Officer, Department of Agriculture Marketing & Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan)

India Country Paper, Mr. Ganesh Singh (Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, India

Maldives Country Paper, Dr. Aminath Shafia (Director General, Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, Maldives)

Nepal Country Paper, Ms. Januka Pandit (Chief-Market Research and Statistics Management Programme, Ministry of Agriculture Development, Nepal)

Pakistan Country Paper, Mr. Muhammad Mehmood (Secretary, Punjab Agriculture Department, Pakistan)

Sri Lanka Country Paper, Ms. Nirusha Ayoni (Assistant Director, SEPC, Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka)

Emerging Patterns of Processed Food Trade in Sri Lanka, Prof. Jeevika Weerahewa (Professor, University of Peradeniya)

Export Potential for Export Agriculture Crops (EAC): Challenges and the Way Forward, Ms. A.P.P. Disna (Director, Department of Export Agriculture)

Market Landscape for Ceylon Cinnamon, Mr. Isuru Hettiarachchi, (Lecturer, University of Sabaragamuwa)