Monday Dec 15, 2025
Monday Dec 15, 2025
Monday, 15 December 2025 00:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe
Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe last week declared that Sri Lanka’s export sector is poised for an era of unprecedented expansion, driven by innovation, value addition and renewed policy momentum, and the future is one of limitless potential rather than incremental recovery.
He made this assertion during his speech at the 27th Presidential Export Awards Ceremony held at the BMICH with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Ministers Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Sunil Handunneththi among others.
Wijesinghe described the event as far more than a formal recognition of excellence, calling it “a celebration of national resilience and ambition.”
Addressing an audience of around 1,500 guests comprising exporters, policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders, Wijesinghe said the awards represented “the highest recognition bestowed upon our exporting community by the President,” underscoring the central role exporters play in stabilising and advancing Sri Lanka’s economy.
Aligning with the national economic vision, the EDB has set a medium-term target of $ 36 billion in export revenue by 2030, a goal he described as ambitious, but firmly grounded in reality.
“This vision is grounded in a commitment to sustainable and ethical sourcing, the strategic leverage of new global market access and the transformation of Sri Lanka into a regional value chain hub,” Wijesinghe said.
It was in this context that he delivered the central message of the evening, declaring that “the future of the Sri Lankan export sector is not just bright—it is boundless.” Expressing confidence in the room, he added, “I have every confidence that the collective ambition and ingenuity in this room will propel us past this target.”
He said Sri Lanka had reached a historic milestone in the financial year 2024/2025, with export earnings hitting a record $ 14 billion so far, marking what he described as “an exceptional year-on-year growth.”
The achievement, he stressed, was not accidental, but the result of exporters’ commitment to innovation, premium quality and value addition. “This success story, particularly evident in the resilience of our technology, premium quality and value-addition, demonstrates the immense, untapped potential of Sri Lanka,” Wijesinghe told the gathering.
Positioning exporters as the backbone of the country’s economic transformation, Wijesinghe said the EDB remained focused on creating an environment where Sri Lankan products and services can compete and thrive globally.
He noted that the Government’s vision of a competitive, diversified and sustainable export economy ultimately rests on the private sector. “The focus areas we champion from market and product diversification to the urgent need for sustainable practices and regional value chain development are clearly reflected in the achievements we honour this evening,” he said.
Despite celebrating the record-breaking performance, Wijesinghe cautioned against complacency, arguing that the milestone should be viewed as a springboard rather than a finish line. “The journey, however, is far from over,” he said, adding that Sri Lanka must now aim significantly higher.
Wijesinghe also pointed to recent institutional developments as signs of renewed government resolve, noting that the reactivation of the Export Development Council of Ministers (EDCM) and the development of a National Export Development Plan signal a stronger, more coordinated approach to boosting export earnings. He said such initiatives, coupled with private sector dynamism, could significantly reshape Sri Lanka’s global trade footprint.
Acknowledging the role of international partnerships, he thanked Sri Lanka’s foreign missions for their “unwavering support” in helping exporters identify new markets and business opportunities, pointing to diplomacy as an increasingly vital extension of export strategy.
Wijesinghe also paid tribute to the exporters themselves, describing them as innovators, risk-takers and job creators whose success directly translates into national progress. “You are the export catalysts, and your success is our nation’s success,” he said, reinforcing the message that Sri Lanka’s export ambitions will ultimately be realised through collective effort and shared confidence in a boundless future.
A total of 15 overall awards were presented at the event which was held to recognise Sri Lanka’s best exporters for the financial year 2024/2025:
1.Best SME Exporter of the Year-Service Sector - Lanka Hydraulic Institute Ltd
2.Best SME Exporter of the Year- Product Sector - Hero Nature Products Ltd
3.Emerging Exporter of the Year - Bughary Bio Spices Ltd.
4.Woman Exporter of the Year - Senikma Holdings Ltd
5.Best Performing Exporter in Emerging Markets - Lanka Marine Services Ltd
6.Contributor from the Regions to the Export Supply Chain - Omega Line Ltd
7.Innovative Export Service of the Year - Sysco Labs Technologies Ltd
8.Innovative Export Product of the Year - Ultracarb Ltd
9.Contributor to Sustainable Development in Exports - Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC
10.Best Value-Added Exporter of the Year - H S B C Electronic Data Processing Lanka Ltd
11.Best Exporter in Product Diversification - Omega Line Ltd
12.Market Diversified Exporter of the Year - Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC
13.Globally Outreached Sri Lankan Brand of the Year - Akbar Brothers Ltd
14.Net Foreign Exchange Earner of the Year - Akbar Brothers Ltd
15.Exporter of the Year - Omega Line Ltd
