Sri Lanka’s canned fish manufacturers confident of meeting local demand and reaching export markets
The Canned Fish Manufacturers Association of Sri Lanka (CFMASL) has reportedly said the local fish manufacturers will be able to produce the full requirement of the country and within four years enter the export market if the Sri Lankan government continues to assist them.
CFMASL President Shiran Fernando has said that in 2019 Sri Lanka had imported over 250,000 salmon cans daily and this has now come down to 150,000 cans per day which will result in a substantial reduction in import cost of canned fish.
The Association has also thanked the government for assisting local producers and industries during the Covid lockdown period.
Fernando has said that during the Covid 19 lockdown period the country faced difficulties in importing goods into the country and Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had requested the CFMASL to produce canned fish for Sathosa (the state owned wholesale establishment) and had pledged whatever support they needed during the curfew time.
The President had delivered the assistance through Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Ministry and the police and they were able to manufacture canned fish with additional shifts including night shift by recruiting additional staff from the vicinity of its factory.
Fernando has also thanked the government for reemploying the tax on imported fish to Rs 100 per kilogram from Rs 50 per kilogram.
When canned fish is produced locally there is 100 percent value addition as they purchase fish, tins, salt and labels from within the country, Fernando has noted, adding that local fishermen will receive a better price and higher income which would lead to their development.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector is a growing revenue generator given the local as well as international markets enjoyed by the sector. Given Sri Lanka’s existing facilities to develop the canned fish sector, foreign businesses could explore business/investment opportunities in the sector. The many trade agreements as well as trade concessions enjoyed by the country with foreign countries that also extends to the fisheries sector would help boost fisheries businesses in Sri Lanka.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/22072020/Z_3 |