📉 Sri Lanka Spices Sector Targets US$ 1 Bn Exports via Value Addition

Sri Lanka’s spices and allied products sector must target US$ 1 Bn in export revenue by shifting from commodity trading to value addition, technology, and branding, according to the Spices and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association (SAPPTA). Key priorities and challenges highlighted by SAPPTA Chairman Ryan Rambukwella include: • Value Chain Integration: Key stakeholders—plantations, traders, processors, and exporters—must eliminate siloed operations to drive national sector growth. • Quality & Compliance: Contamination issues (chlorate, perchlorate, nicotine, lead) and traceability gaps threaten market access; improved testing with DEA and UNIDO is required to raise export value per unit. • Controlled Raw Material Imports: Proposals suggest a highly controlled, traceable import framework exclusively for processing and re-export to boost global competitiveness while safeguarding local farmers. • Financial & Labor Constraints: High working-capital costs force rapid inventory turnover over processing; labor shortages make mechanization and automation essential across cultivation, harvesting, and sorting. • Branding over Volume: Emphasizes shifting focus from raw volume to high-value extracts, ingredients, and proprietary Sri Lankan brands to capture long-term equity.