Report on participation in PRO FOOD & PRO PACK 2004
Colombo, Sri Lanka : August 20-22, 2004
Sri Lanka Ministry of Industrial Development, Foreign Affairs & Commerce in association with Sri Lankan Food Processing Association and Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging organized the ‘Pro Food & Pro Pack 2004’ Exhibition at BMICH Convention Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka from August 20-22, 2004. This exhibition offered a foray for the Small & Medium Scale Industries in the State, exclusively in the Food Processing & Packaging sector, for exhibiting their products and technologies and also for a mutual dialogue with the Sri Lankan and other SAARC Country delegates who visited the exhibition.
Shri. Mahinda Rajapakse, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sri Lanka at the Inaugural function
Sri Lanka offers a very promising market for the Indian food as well as packaging and machinery. This exhibition was an established show in Sri Lanka exclusively for the Food Processing sector. This provided the companies / enterprises in the Small & Medium Food Processing sector of the State a visible platform to interact and discuss with the leading importers of Sri Lanka and other SAARC Countries.
Inaugural function
The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) also partnered in the exhibition and organized the participation of several major Indian Companies in the Food Processing and Packaging industry. FICCI had also set up an Indian Pavilion and organized several business meetings during the event.
The Kerala State Small Industries Association (KSSIA) submitted a proposal to the Government for promotional support to the Small Scale Industries in the Food Processing & Packaging sector of the State for participation in the Pro Food & Pro Pack 2004 Exhibition. KSSIA had also requested to setting up an exclusively Kerala State Pavilion during the fair in which the SSI Units of the State can display their products and technologies.
Shri. Mahinda Rajapakse, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
in discussion with Shri. P.H. Kurian
Since it was felt that this will be an opportunity for the business development and industrial promotion in the Food Processing & Packaging sector of the State, Government vide G.O. (Rt.) No. 733/2004/ID dated 30th July, 2003 had accorded sanction for participating in the Pro Food & Pro Pack 2004 Trade Exhibition at Colombo, Sri Lanka from August 20-22, 2004.
Government had also accorded sanction to Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) to set up an exclusive full fledged Kerala State Pavilion for the exhibition and to coordinate the activities in this regard. KSSIA had submitted the list of SSI Units from the Food Processing & Packaging sector in the State who were interested to participate and exhibit their products and technologies for the fair.
Shri. P.H. Kurian, Secretary & Executive Director, K-BIP and Shri. V. Rajagopal, General Manager, K-BIP participated in the fair along with a delegation of 24 Industrialists of our State led by the KSSIA, State President, Shri. Xavier Thomas Kondody.
Inauguration
Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) coordinated the activities with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. An exclusive Kerala State Pavilion was set up in one of the prime locations of the exhibition within the India Pavilion. Promotional brochures, catalogues and list of participating industries from our State were made available in the Kerala State Pavilion where the participating industries displayed their products and technologies.
Shri. Mahinda Rajapakse, Hon’ble Prime Minister Sri Lanka – Inaugural Address
Shri. Mahinda Rajapakse, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka formally inaugurated the event at a colourful function on 20th August, 2004 at the BMICH Convention Centre. The inaugural function was presided over by Shri. Dharmatilake Ratnayake, President of Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging. Shri. P.H. Kurian, Secretary & Director (Industries) and Shri. Ashoka Gopallawa, President, Sri Lanka Food Processing Association also addressed the gathering. The Hon’ble Prime Minister also inaugurated the Indian Pavilion
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Inaugural function
The participating Small Scale Industrial Units from our State were given space for display of their various products in the full fledged Kerala State Pavilion. Opportunity was also provided to the entrepreneurs from the State to have discussions with potential customers / importers / association representatives who were visiting the trade fair.
Kerala State Pavilion
The Kerala State Pavilion was brought out very colourfully with the various products brought by the participating Industrial Units, which attracted lot of visitors to the Pavilion. The entrepreneurs received several trade enquiries and business proposals and some of them had taken the opportunity for further in depth discussions and finalization of business deals.
Kerala State Pavilion
We have also visited the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and had discussions with the Senior Officials regarding the possibility of a tie up with the major Sri Lankan exporters for procurement of materials from our State. The meeting was very fruitful and the Export Development Board authorities have also visited the Kerala State Pavilion along with several major exporters from Sri Lanka.
Visit to Sri Lankan Export Development Board
The General Manager, K-BIP explained about the various potential opportunities and products available in the Food Processing sector in Kerala State. The State President, KSSIA mentioned about the strength of Kerala in the Small Scale industrial sector and also briefed about the various activities of the Association to the Export Development Board authorities.
By participating in the Pro Food & Pro Pack 2004 exhibition, we had the opportunity for discussions and interactions with several Associations, Institutes and Development Boards. The entrepreneurs were able to explore the market prospects of Kerala Food products in the Sri Lankan market. By the tremendous response and trade enquiries received in the Kerala State Pavilion, it was assessed that there is an immense potential for our processed food products in Sri Lanka. Also Kerala can be a major procuring State for Food Processing products for Sri Lanka to be re exported to several foreign destinations. Many of the participating Units also received several business enquiries that could be materialized.
The Pro Food & Pro Pack 2004 exhibition concluded on 22nd August, 2004. The Small Scale Industrial Entrepreneurs and the Association thanked the Government for giving them this promotional support thereby they were able to participate in such an exhibition.
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