Sri Lanka exports 2% of world’s ornamental fish supply

DailyFT

Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce) greets a Lankan award winner of the AQUARAMA 2013 on 12 June at the EDB Premises, Colombo as Sujata Weerakoone (DG- EDB-far left),Bandula Egodage (Chairman-EDB, second from left) and Yousuf Maraikkar (Executive Director-EDB-fourth from left) look on .

Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen yesterday revealed that Sri Lanka have more than 2% share of the global ornamental fish market which is around US$ 340 million. “We are also now recognised as one of the best ornamental fish suppliers to the international market.”

Bathiudeen was addressing the press briefing held at the Export Development Board (EDB) to announce Sri Lanka’s strong achievements at the AQUARAMA 2013 event in Singapore.
More than 300 competitors from 10 countries, submitting 1,350 entries, were taking part in the highly competitive AQUARAMA 2013 international ornamental fishery event held in Singapore from 28 May to 2 June.

Seventeen Sri Lankan firms, facilitated and sponsored by EDB, competing in the event won 30 awards, which was symbolically re-awarded by Minister Bathiudeen with his praise, yesterday.

“Sri Lanka has been placed as the second largest award winner, at the Asia’s biggest, international ornamental fish and accessories exhibition AQUARAMA 2013, which is a great achievement for this sector. We won 30 awards at the 2013 Singapore event and stands as the second, in comparison to Singapore which is the number one ornamental fish exporting country, in the world,” Minister Bathiudeen said.

The ministers also added: “Therefore, this is not only a honour for Sri Lanka but also an important development for our ornamental fish industry. EDB has sponsored 17 participants at this event and submitted 232 entries in various fish categories. In the commendable 2012 budget proposals by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, provisions have been made to upgrade facilities of exporters to increase the quality of fish exported from Sri Lanka.

“This is another stepping stone, towards our US$ 20 billion export target, by 2020. The value of ornamental fish exports in 2012 stood at US$ 7.52 million. The major export markets, for our aquarium fish are; Japan, USA, UK, Germany and France. We began ornamental fish exports in 1950’s. Sri Lanka have more than 2% share of the global ornamental fish market, which is annually around US$ 340 million. I am pleased to say that now we are recognised as one of the best ornamental fish suppliers to the international market.”

Live Tropical Fish Exporters Association Co-President Rohan Fernando, addressing the event said: “The backbone of fish exports are the fish breeders of this country. But exporters have been starving without new species to breed and export. Fortunately, the AQUARAMA event, promoted by EDB here, has come to the rescue.”

In the budget proposal 2012, provisions have been made to set up/upgrade quarantine and withholding facilities of exporters to increase the quality of fish exporting from Sri Lanka. The EDB is the implementing agency for the program.