Colombo to host Global Spice Road Symposium 2019 in July

• Convention of 34 countries to uplift the spice industry

The GSRS 2019 will arise itself as a steam rolled platform for all local and global stakeholders to collaboratively initiate a significant revamp in the spice industry. The Global Spice Road Symposium invites small, medium and large-scale entrepreneurs and corporates to partake in the event and activate the golden opportunity to comprehend what spice is all about and the vast potential that this event shall unfold. 

Not just an uplift, the symposium contemplates to create a 360 degree transformation to the spice industry by bringing international partnerships and technical collaborations with a distinct focus on value addition. The symposium will enclose two and a half days of technical session, business matchmaking and mini workshop, networking sessions and three and a half days of a fully-fledged exhibition. Further the basement for the event was collaboratively established by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and the GSRS Secretariat, and the partnership is to be formalised within the next few days.

The participants of this event have been secured from over 34 countries, including the main spice markets of USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Dubai, Ireland, Australia, India, China, Japan, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore and many more. This forum shall be convened to identify the chief mechanisms of the spice sector, including but not limited to, history of spices, quality of Ceylon cinnamon and other spices, technological intervention to develop process plants and GMP certified factories, marketing and labelling, geographical indications and global positioning of the country and its brand.

Vindicating the foreseen success of the symposium, the initiative has been further endorsed by the Ministry of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment, whereby Minister Daya Gamage has accepted to extend their blessings to the GSRS Secretariat to ensure that the planning and management of the event take places in a manner to reap maximum benefits to all stakeholders and the country, on the aggregate. Alongside Department of Export Agriculture Director General Dr. A.P. Heenkende, and Spices and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association Chairman Prins Gunsekara have entered into an agreement to actively participate in strategising and planning the symposium through the contribution of their expertise. 

To audit the operational and financial aspects of the event, BDO Sri Lanka Managing Partner Sujeewa Rajapakse has come forth with strategic cooperation, thus assuring that the event is conducted professionally and by adopting ethical business practices. The formation of the event at its preliminary stage involve the imperative engagement of Professor Buddhi Marambe – Department of Crop Science of University of Peradeniya, Dr. Eresha Mendis – Department of Food and Safety of University of Peradeniya, Manju Gunawardena – Chairman of the Spice Council, D.A. Perera – Past Chairman of Spice Council and Chairman EOAS International Ltd., Nanda B. Kohonna – Past Chairman of the Spice Council and Chairman of International Commodity Traders Ltd., Wijith Jayathilake – Chairman of Dassanayake Walauwa Plantations who are enlisted as the esteemed members of the Strategy and Planning Committee. 

The event at large is embraced by the stakeholders and to date has received enormous acceptance in the global business community. Not just an international congregation, the Global Spice Road Symposium 2019 will bring together the vision of the country, the Minister, and the major stakeholders, thus making the long planned forecast a reality. The Global Spice Road Symposium being the brainchild of Chelcey Consulting Corporation Ltd. has associated with OSL The Investment Magazine to pave the way for economic development of the country. Under the leadership management of Chelcey Consulting Corporation Ltd., the Global Spice Road Symposium Secretariat is being operated by Program Director Fahmida Bulathsinhala, Deputy Program Director Ayeshah Bangsajayah Singhawansa, and team members.

The cardinal mission of the symposium is to re-establish the brand identity as the Global Spice Capital by enlightening the global spice community, the fruits of ancient history and to realign the spice route to give due recognition as the Land of Spices to Sri Lanka, where a strategic route map can be rebuilt to strengthen the spice trade with the joint efforts of all public and private stakeholders. In effort of this, the Global Spice Road Symposium Secretariat shall make headway through this event to gain the global title for Sri Lanka as the ‘World Capital for Spices’.

Thus, it is a national call to all traders, producers from the spice sector, food and beverages dealing mainly with spices, Ayurveda and aromatherapy, beauty and cosmetics, health, irrespective of their business scale and income levels, to join hands with the GSRS Secretariat and witness the new revolution in the trade market.