24th Presidential Export Awards on 26 November

EDB Chairman Suresh de Mel

The 24th Presidential Export Awards for the financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 will be held on 26 November at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The Presidential Export Awards are the most prestigious awards presented by the President to exporters in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the export sector and to the economic development of the country.

Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman and Chief Executive Suresh de Mel said this year's awards would be presented in two main categories with 12 overall awards, as well as 53 sectoral awards for products and services for each financial year.

Last year, the EDB could not hold the Presidential Export Awards for financial year 2019/2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19, and therefore, it is being held as a combined awards scheme.

In line with the new Government Policy Framework, the EDB has implemented new strategies to expand Sri Lanka's exports by introducing new markets (market diversification), innovative products (product diversification) and adding value to existing products. 

24th...

New overall awards and sectoral awards have been introduced by reviewing the Presidential Export Awards presented over the past few years.

Accordingly, overall awards such as ‘Best Exporter in Product Diversification,’ ‘Best Value-Added Exporter of the Year,’ ‘Best Performing Exporter in Emerging Markets’ and ‘Emerging Exporter of the Year’ as well as new sectoral awards compared to last year were introduced.

Furthermore, the selection of the ‘Best Exporter’ for the Product and Services Sector Awards is more competitive as it evaluates not only export earnings but also several other criteria, such as value addition for exports, employment creation, market diversification, and growth of export earnings. 

In selecting the awardees for the financial year 2020/21, the efforts made by the exporters to remain in the export sector under the COVID-19 epidemic situation will also be appreciated.