Sri Lankan businesses discuss potential of exporting clay bricks to EU and Japan
Sri Lanka’s over supply of multi-purpose raw material to produce clay bricks which has a huge global demand has reportedly been highlighted recently by Managing Director, De Boer Damle (India) Pvt. Ltd, Anand Damle.
Damle has made this observation at the Sri Lanka Ceramics and Glass Council (SLCGC) AGM in Colombo recently.
He has noted that Sri Lanka has over 50, 000 unutilized irrigation tanks which have excess clay. Due to clay and other materials these tanks are rendered redundant.
“Excavating clay from the tanks will firstly help to put back these tanks to irrigation purposes there by helping to review the rural Agro sector.”
Secondly he has explained that the extracted clay can be used to make bricks which will open out a new SME industry in Sri Lanka with a huge export potential to EU and Japan as these countries are looking at natural products like clay bricks. Similarly there is also demand for clay tiles from EU.
Dmale has said that in India there are around 7,000 brick manufactures who are now securing international orders. “Today a clay brick is fetching around 5 to 7 Euros in the international market which is a very good price.”
He has added that sophisticated machinery is not needed to produce these clay tiles and this too would be an advantage for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, Noritake Lanka Porcelain (Pvt) Ltd, Chairman/Managing Director Hidenori Tanaka has said that Sri Lanka also has other rare raw materials required for the manufacture of ceramic products, which has high demand in the global market.
“This should be exploited by the industry with niche products, enabling high yields,” he has said.
He has added that Sri Lankan ceramic products are in demand in Japan and Europe which Sri Lanka should make use of by manufacturing new products focusing on innovation.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka has recorded an overall growth in the export manufacturing sector during the past few years and the growth momentum is expected to further improve in the future. Sri Lanka’s many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by the country have given the edge to local exports in the global market. Like the ceremic and brick manufacturing sectors, Sri Lanka has many products targeted at the export market. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka’s export manufacturing sector.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20191127/Z_4 |