Malik visits Biyagama EPZ, meets investors and zone workers

The BOI organized an interactive meeting at the Biyagama Export Processing Zone (BEPZ) where the keynote speaker was Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama.

The minister was also assisted by BOI Board Members Sagara Ratnayake and Mangala Yapa and Duminda Ariyasinghe, Director General of the BOI. Also present were senior officials of BOI including M. K. D. Lawrance Executive Director (Zones) and Athula Jayasinghe - Zone Director of the BEPZ.

The Biyagama Export Processing Zone is the second zone of the BOI to be established. It has total area of 450 acres and is operating at full capacity. The zone employees total 21,136 and hosts 57 enterprises. Of these 18 are in the apparel sector, 13 in rubber manufacture, 6 in services, 2 in electronics, 2 in granite and marble, 1 security printing and 1 sail and water sports goods manufacture and 14 others.

The BEPZ is a significant contributor to the national economy with an export value estimated at Rs.134 billion (US$849 million) and importing Rs.58 billion (US$368 million) worth of raw materials. In 2017 25,661 workers were employed at the BEPZ. Many leading enterprises are located at the BEPZ including Ansell, Trelleborg, De La Rue, MAS, Noyon and Stretchline.

Minister Samarawickrama thanked the investors for their contribution especially in the area of employment and exports. He stated that Sri Lanka’s target is to export US$17.1 billion worth of goods and services in 2018. While FDI had reached US$1.9 billion, the target for 2018 was US$2.1 billion.