Sri Lanka must sell value, not volume: Exporters is the message leading business leaders delivered as they endorsed the Government’s ambitious plan to increase national exports to US$36 billion by 2030. While expressing confidence in the target, exporters stressed that long-term success will depend on policy consistency, improved market access, stronger supply chains, and a strategic focus on high-value products.
Sri Lanka must sell value, not volume: Exporters back $36bn export target
The views were shared during a panel discussion held alongside the launch of the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026-2030. Industry leaders argued that Sri Lanka cannot compete directly with larger manufacturing economies on scale and volume. Instead, they said the country should leverage its reputation for quality, sustainability, and innovation to secure higher-value opportunities in global markets.
Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company Chairman Dilhan C. Fernando said Sri Lanka already possesses many of the ingredients necessary to achieve the ambitious export goals outlined in the NEDP. However, he emphasized that the country’s export strategy must be built around its unique competitive advantages rather than attempting to replicate the models of larger economies such as Vietnam or India.
According to Fernando, products such as Ceylon Tea, Ceylon Cinnamon, and Ceylon Cashew offer significant opportunities for value creation through branding, certification, and quality differentiation. He noted that Sri Lanka’s strength lies in premium market positioning rather than competing solely on price.
Using cinnamon as an example, Fernando explained that authentic Ceylon Cinnamon carries distinctive qualities that can attract higher prices in international markets when effectively marketed and protected. He stressed that building global recognition for premium Sri Lankan products would require investments in testing facilities, certification systems, and quality assurance infrastructure.
Fernando also warned that exporters face increasing pressure from changing international regulations, particularly within the European Union. New requirements surrounding sustainability, traceability, and responsible sourcing are becoming critical for maintaining access to key export markets.
He said Sri Lankan businesses must adapt quickly to these evolving standards and called for targeted support programs to help exporters strengthen compliance systems. In sectors such as agriculture, climate resilience and supply chain transparency are becoming increasingly important factors for accessing premium market positioning and maintaining competitiveness.
Meanwhile, CEAT Kelani Holdings Ltd. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ravi Dadlani highlighted the importance of recognizing Sri Lanka’s economic realities. He cautioned against making direct comparisons with larger economies, noting that Sri Lanka’s export growth strategy must reflect the country’s smaller scale and different industrial structure.
Dadlani welcomed the NEDP’s focus on export diversification, describing it as an essential component of long-term economic growth. Expanding beyond traditional export sectors, he said, would help reduce vulnerability to market fluctuations while creating new opportunities for investment and employment.
However, he stressed that achieving the plan’s objectives would depend heavily on maintaining policy stability over the coming years. Investors, he noted, require predictable economic and regulatory environments before committing capital to long-term projects.
Drawing from CEAT’s own experience, Dadlani said investor confidence in Sri Lanka remains resilient despite global economic uncertainty and domestic challenges. He pointed to significant post-crisis investments in manufacturing as evidence that international investors continue to see long-term potential in the country.
At the same time, he highlighted weaknesses in domestic supply chains as a key concern. The decline in local rubber production, for example, has increased dependence on imported raw materials, creating challenges for manufacturers and reducing competitiveness. Addressing such issues, he said, would require coordinated action from policymakers, industry stakeholders, and supporting institutions.
Both business leaders also emphasized the need for broader structural reforms. Fernando argued that exporters, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, continue to face unnecessary bureaucracy and fragmented institutional processes that slow growth and discourage new market entrants.
He also called for stronger collaboration between universities, research institutions, and industry to accelerate innovation and commercialization. While Sri Lanka possesses considerable research capabilities, greater efforts are needed to translate knowledge into export-oriented products and services.
Another critical issue raised was Sri Lanka’s limited network of free trade agreements compared with regional competitors. Fernando said expanding preferential market access would be essential to achieving export diversification and increasing value-added exports in international markets.
Looking ahead, both speakers agreed that the success of the National Export Development Plan should be measured not only by higher export earnings but also by broader economic transformation. They argued that attracting investment into new industries, strengthening competitiveness, and achieving premium market positioning would create a more resilient and sustainable export sector.
As Sri Lanka pursues its goal of reaching US$36 billion in exports by 2030, exporters believe the country’s future success will depend on quality, innovation, sustainability, and export diversification rather than simply increasing production volumes.