Sri Lanka to export more apparels and raw rubber to Iraq

Iraq, which is one of the leading Pure Ceylon Tea  importers from Sri Lanka  has expressed willingness to import more and more Sri Lankan products, including apparels and raw rubber.

This has been stated by the Iraqi Ambassador in Sri Lanka Kahtan Taha Khalaf yesterday when he made a courtesy call on Minister of Commerce and Industry  Rishard Bathiudeen.  He has said that Iraq look forward to import Sri Lankan apparels and raw rubber in strong volumes, as none of which are being produced in Iraq.

The Ambassador has also invited Sri Lankan investors and businessmen to visit Iraq and attend the Baghdad Int’l Fair 2012 to be held in November

Minister Bathiudeen has assured the Iraqi Ambassador of Sri Lanka’s  capability of fulfilling their demand for apparels and rubber products, including value added rubber products.  He has also assured to send a strong Sri Lankan trade and biz delegation to the Baghdad International Fair 2012.

Bilateral trade between the two countries which stood at 8.76 million U.S.Dollars in 2003 had reached 37.5 million U.S.Dollars in 2009 with 98% of it being tea exports to Iraq. Sri Lanka was the major supplier of tea to Iraq with 65% of the total annual intake of our tea by Iraq until 1990. Currently, more than 90% of Sri Lanka exports to Iraq consist of tea. .(niz)