Global Spice Convention in July in Colombo
A revolutionary convention – the Global Spice Road Symposium 2019 (GSRS 2019) - bringing together 34 countries to uplift the spice industry - will take place in Colombo on July 10-13.
The GSRS 2019 will arise itself as a steam rolled platform for all local and global stakeholders to collaboratively initiate a significant revamp in the spice industry. The organisers said in a media release that the Global Spice Road Symposium invites small, medium and large-scale entrepreneurs and corporates to partake in the event and activate the golden opportunity to comprehend what spice is all about and the vast potential that this event shall unfold.
The symposium will have two and a half days of technical session, business matchmaking and mini workshop, networking sessions and three and a half days of a fully-fledged exhibition.
Participants of this event come from over 34 countries, including the main spice markets of the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Dubai, Ireland, Australia, India, China, Japan, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore and many more. This forum shall be convened to identify the chief mechanisms of the spice sector, including but not limited to, history of spices, quality of Ceylon cinnamon and other spices, technological intervention to develop process plants and GMP certified factories, marketing and labeling, geographical indications and global positioning of the country and its brand.
The event has been endorsed by the Ministry of Primary Industries and Social Empower ment and its Minister Daya Gamage. Dr. A. P. Heenkende – Director General of the Department of Export Agriculture and Prins Gunasekara – Chairman of Spices and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association have entered into an agreement to actively participate in strategising and planning the symposium through the contribution of their expertise.
The formation of the event at its preliminary stage involve the engagement of Prof. Buddhi Marambe – Department of Crop Science of University of Peradeniya, Dr. E resha Mendis – Department of Food and Safety of University of Peradeniya, Manju Gunawardena – Chairman of the Spice Council, D. A. Perera – Past Chairman of Spice Council and Chairman EOAS International Pvt Ltd, Nanda B. Kohonna – Past Chairman of the Spice Council and Chairman of International Commodity Traders Pvt Ltd and Wijith Jayathilake – Chairman of Dassanayake Walauwa Plantations who have been enlisted as the members of the Strategy and Planning Committee.
The mission of the symposium is to re-establish the brand identity as the Global Spice Capital by enlightening the global spice community, the fruits of ancient history and to realign the spice route to give due recognition as the ‘Land of Spices to Sri Lanka’, where a strategic route map can be rebuilt to strengthen the spice trade with the joint efforts of all public and private stakeholders, the release said.