Basil Rajapaksa opens International pepper conference

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development participated as chief guest at inauguration ceremony of 40th International pepper community conference held at Mount Lavinia on 30th October.

 
The International Pepper community(IPC), established under the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific(UN-ESCAP) is consisted of several countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, the major Pepper producers of the world are permanent members of the conference. The 40th International Pepper Conference will be held from 30th October to 02nd November 2012, in collaboration with Sri Lanka Ministry of Minor Export Corp Promotion.

Sri Lanka produced 26,500 tons of pepper last year and earned US$ 30.7 million as pepper export revenue. Pepper is cultivated over an area of 32,800 hectares in the island with Matale, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Nuwara Eliya being major districts of cultivation.

Reginald Cooray, Minister for Minor Export Crop Promotion, Mr. Vajira Narampanawa, S. Kannan, Executive Director of the International Pepper Community, WDL Gunaratne,  Director General Department of Export Agriculture and Other senior government officers among the large crowd of foreign participants on the occasion.