KARACHI: The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi, in collaboration with Horticultural Society of Pakistan (HSP) and Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum, organised a promotional campaign on coco-peat and floricultural plants of Sri Lanka at the Horticultural Society of Pakistan, DHA Garden recently.
According to a press release on Wednesday, two representatives from M/S J B Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Janaka Kahawatta, Managing Director and Mohammad Fauzil Cader, Export Manager from Sri Lanka made a presentation and demonstration on coco-peat. They introduced a new growing medium called Cocopeat, a product manufactured in Sri Lanka from the coconut fibre extraction process.
City Naib Nazim, Nasreen Jalil, was the chief guest to this promotional campaign. During her address, she appreciated the Consulate General of Sri Lanka for organising this type of promotional event that would enhance and strengthen the bilateral trade and economic relations. She said that forest, plants, gardens and flowers are in acute shortage in Pakistan; therefore, we need to concentrate on this area and promote all possible venues to make this part of the world green and healthy.
The Consul General of Sri Lanka V S Sidath Kumar, in his speech, mentioned that Pakistan is the second largest trading partner for Sri Lanka. After the implementation of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement since June 2005, there has been a substantial improvement in the bilateral trade. The total trade between the two countries has increased from $150 million in 2004 to $270 million in 2008. While Sri Lanka's exports to Pakistan has increased by 70 per cent from $43 million in 2005 to $75 million in 2008, Pakistan's exports to Sri Lanka has also increased by 70 per cent from $115 million to $190 million from 2005 to 2008.
Abdul Rauf Tabani, President of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka can jointly promote these nature gifted products by sharing their experience through exchange of specialists on this subject and to research more botanical, herbal medicines for healing of all sorts of diseases and to beautify their motherlands with new variety of flowers.
Fahim Siddiqui, Chairman HSP, in his vote of thanks said that promotional campaign was an ideal opportunity to make awareness of coco-peat among the horticulturists, importers, people engaged in horticultural business, agents and distributors.
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