The country’s local traditional Industries need to be given Value Addition and an element of Modernisation should be added to them to go forward with the modern world, as these Industries should be a huge part of the country’s export economy, said Sunil Handunneththi, Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, at the opening of the National Handloom Exhibition and Trade Fair-Ransalu 2024, which ended yesterday at the BMICH.
He said there is demand for new trends in the world and Sri Lanka’s endemic Handloom and Batik products too should be presented in accordance with these modern requirements. The challenge here is taking traditional knowledge of these trades to the next generation. The Minister said the new generation should be trained for this purpose.
The main problem that these manufacturers face is the high price of raw material, textile and inks required for their trade. Manufacturers need imports for their products and it is necessary to relax heavy import taxes and levies in order to improve their living standards, he said. In order for the next generation to remain in these traditional trades, the status of the present generation who indulge in them should be upgraded, Handunneththi urged. Exhibitions of the nature of Ransalu, held locally and overseas, practically having them with the collaboration of Sri Lankan Embassies overseas is necessary to promote the local Handloom and other traditional Industries, he noted. The Minister also emphasised that traditional craftsmen need to be recognised, and they should receive a decent income. The new Government’s policy will certainly not be selling textile institutions and privatising institutions like Laksala, but encouraging national production with the participation of the people, Handunneththi added.
In conjunction with this exhibition, awards and cash prizes were also presented to 125 artisans in various categories of the Textile Industry Design Competition held by the Department of Textile Industries. A Fashion show featuring the winning designs was also organised at the exhibition grounds.
At this exhibition, which had 43 sales stalls, consumers had the opportunity to purchase a wide range of Handloom products including sarees, shirts, sarongs, salwars, bedspreads, table cloths, towels, wall decorations at very reasonable prices. Ministers Handunnetti and Abeysinghe, who visited the exhibition, exchanged views with the textile artisans and buyers present at the exhibition.
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