Sri Lanka unlocks new market opportunities with 15 conformity assessment accreditations
Daily FT: Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), under the patronage of the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, marked a significant milestone with the accreditation of 15 Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), bolstering Sri Lanka’s quality infrastructure and opening new avenues for international trade.
Announced during SLAB’s 20th anniversary held in conjunction with World Accreditation Day 2025, this achievement underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to aligning with global quality standards, enhancing export competitiveness, and fostering economic growth.
“This milestone strengthens Sri Lanka’s position in global markets by ensuring our products and services meet rigorous international standards,” said SLAB Acting Director/CEO Chanditha Ediriweera. “The Accreditation Readiness Programme (ARP), conducted by the European Union’s BESPA-FOOD Project, has been instrumental in this success. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their technical and financial support in advancing Sri Lanka’s National Quality Infrastructure.”
The institutions that achieved accreditation include testing laboratories Microchem Laboratories Ltd., National Water Supply and Drainage Board Anuradhapura, SLSI Chemical Laboratory, Provincial Food Laboratory, S.A. Silva and Sons Ltd. (Silvermill), National Cinnamon Research and Training Center, NARA Microbiology Laboratory, SLINTEC, National Institute of Health Sciences, and Coconut Development Authority. The certification body National Cleaner Production Center also achieved accreditation certifying eco labelling, alongside MUSSD laboratories including Dimension Laboratory, Proficiency Testing Services Chemical Metrology Division, and Mass Laboratory.
These accreditations empower the institutions to provide globally recognised and traceable testing, calibration, and certification services, enabling industries to demonstrate compliance with international quality and regulatory standards for export markets.
“Accreditation is a cornerstone of trust and competitiveness,” said UNIDO National Quality Expert Sumathy Rajasingham. “Through this programme, Sri Lanka has advanced from 7th to 3rd among lower-middle-income countries in the QI4SD Index, reflecting substantial progress in our national quality infrastructure.”
Aligned with the 2025 World Accreditation Day theme, “Accreditation: Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises,” SLAB also launched its Digital Accreditation Process Workflow Management System. This platform streamlines accreditation services, improving efficiency and accessibility for exporters, manufacturers, and SMEs navigating global market requirements.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka is in the process of further strengthening and expanding trade ties with many foreign countries to expand market access for local products. While Sri Lanka enjoys many trade agreements and trade concessions with a considerable number of foreign countries, Sri Lankan authorities are in the process of further expanding trade agreements to include more foreign countries. Local authorities are engaged in many programmes including promotional campaigns in overseas markets as well as upgrading and developing the existing trade mechanism to meet the expanding global standards. The growth, profits and expansion programmes undertaken by Sri Lankan businesses engaged in the trade and export sectors indicate the increasing business potential in these sectors. Given the positive development on the part of the Sri Lankan authorities to meet global standards for local exports, expand trade ties with foreign countries and encouraging local exporters to add value to their products while diversifying their export product portfolios, the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s trade sector presents many lucrative opportunities for foreign businesses/investors. They could also expand operations in the region by setting up bases in Sri Lanka through local collaborations to gain easy access to regional markets.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250709/Z_2 |