The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, commended the Sri Lanka National Exporters’ Association for its efforts to establish direct business linkages that will enable exporters based in Colombo to procure products from small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the Northern Province.
The Business Connectivity Seminar, jointly organized by the Sri Lanka National Exporters’ Association and the Industrial Development Board, was held today – on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, at the Jaffna District Secretariat Auditorium. The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, attended the event as the Chief Guest and made these remarks while delivering his keynote address.
The Hon. Governor further stated in his address:
Many of the Northern Province’s resources remain underutilized, and the products derived from the resources that are being utilized do not receive fair market value. Although agriculture and marine resources are among the province’s greatest strengths, there are inadequate facilities to store agricultural produce or process it into value added products. In this context, business linkages of this nature will play a vital role in helping our producers overcome the marketing challenges they face and secure better market opportunities.
Small and medium sized entrepreneurs should not remain stagnant; they must strive to grow and become exporters. We are committed to providing every possible support to help them achieve this goal. At the same time, entrepreneurs must remain focused, determined, and continue their journey towards expanding their businesses.
We are also taking continuous steps to facilitate the direct export of products from Jaffna to international markets. We have received encouraging cooperation from the relevant government agencies, and we expect this initiative to be implemented in the near future.
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the country’s economy. However, in the Northern Province, dedicated industrial estates for SMEs exist only in Jaffna, while the other districts have none. I recently brought this matter to the attention of the Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, during his visit to the province. He has agreed to take steps to establish industrial estates in the other districts of the Northern Province as well.
The Governor concluded by stating We will continue to work with dedication to strengthen and develop small and medium sized enterprises. Business linkage initiatives such as this will undoubtedly serve as a significant catalyst for their growth, creating greater market opportunities and enabling them to become more competitive in both local and international markets.
Among those present at the event were Jaffna District Secretary M. Piiratheepan, President of the Sri Lanka National Exporters’ Association Kaushal Rajapaksa, Northern Provincial Director of the Industrial Development Board S. Sivakengatharan, representatives of the Consulate General of India, industrialists, exporters, representatives of trade associations, and numerous other stakeholders.
