24th Presidential Export Awards on 3 December

• 12 Overall Awards and 53 Sectoral Awards to be presented for each financial year to recognise best exporting firms and their contribution to national economy
• Efforts made by exporters to remain in sector amidst COVID pandemic will be appreciated

The 24th Presidential Export Awards ceremony for the financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 will be held on 3 December under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).

The Presidential Export Awards is the highest and the most prestigious award presented by the President of Sri Lanka to exporters in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the export sector and to economic development of the country.

Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman 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.

He also said that the awards ceremony would be held to recognise the country’s best exporters for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years. 

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 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 pandemic situation will also be appreciated,” de Mel said, highlighting the significance of this year’s awards. 

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. 

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.

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.