There is a huge business mismatch between entrepreneurs and job seekers in Sri Lanka, said Ministry of Industries Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara at the 2023 ProFood ProPack & Ag-biz exhibition launch.
In Sri Lanka, 2.8% of the population are entrepreneurs while 97% are job seekers.
“However the international norm is that 10% out of the population should be entrepreneurs”, Researchers and educationalists should address this mismatch,” she opined.
Jayasundara also said that Sri Lanka’s export revenue from food and beverage in 2022 was USD 276 million and this can be bettered. “Also benchmarking to global practices and norms, enhancing value additions on the F&B sector and introducing Green technology is pivotal to increase exports. The ministry of industries will support the agro sector by helping entrepreneurs to diversify and add more products to the export food basket,” she emphasized.
Organized by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA) ProFood ProPack & Ag-biz will be held from August 4 to 6 at BMICH Exhibitions Centre, Colombo meeting the requirements of the industry both locally and internationally. For the first time, nearly 200 industries will participate in the event. The President of SLFPA Delano Dias said, “Though the country faced setbacks during the last two years, the economic crisis highlighted the demand for the agri-sector. This resulted in giving openings for new entrepreneurs to get involved in the Agro sector and also in the food processing industry which was very encouraging.”
“Amidst the current economic context and the import restrictions imposed to combat the national economic crisis, many local businesses are developing local substitutes and this too is very encouraging,” he added.
He said that the Pro Food Pro Pack & Ag-biz annual exhibition contributes immensely to the national economy by providing exposure to small, medium and large export-oriented Food Processors.
“The additional representation of Agri, Poultry, and Livestock and Floriculture sectors will ensure the event as a complete one-stop-shop food industry solution. The organizing committee Chairman Vasantha Chandrapala, said this 20th edition of the exhibition will also help to boost Sri Lankan food entrepreneurs, exporters and food related inventors, especially from rural areas.
“International exhibitors from Thailand, China and India too have confirmed their participation.”
The member companies of the SLFPA consist of manufacturers of food ingredients, grocery products, confectionery and bakery products, frozen foods, fruit and vegetable based products, beverages (carbonated & non-carbonated), spice processors and exporters, fish and meat processors, essential oil producers and support service providers to the food industry.