The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has appointed 24 new Advisory Committees for 2026–2029 and launched its Export Performance Indicators 2025, as the country seeks to accelerate export growth towards its US$36 billion target by 2030.

The appointments were announced at a ceremony in Colombo attended by Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti, who called for stronger public-private sector collaboration and reforms to outdated laws and regulations that constrain exports.

“Building on the growth achieved by all export sectors over the past two years, we must move towards new targets that surpass our own past records,” Handunnetti said, stressing the need to combine government support with private-sector expertise to achieve the country’s export ambitions.

EDB Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mangala Wijesinghe briefed the newly appointed committees on the National Export Development Plan (NEDP) 2026–2030, as well as preparations for Sri Lanka Expo 2027, the country’s planned international trade exhibition.

The 24 committees, appointed for a three-year term under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act No. 40 of 1979, bring together exporters, SMEs, private-sector associations, government institutions and sectoral experts.

Six committees will focus on cross-cutting export enablers, including trade logistics and hub operations, trade facilitation, trade finance and business environment reforms, trade promotion and market access, quality standards and ESG, and skills, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Eight committees will cover priority sectors identified under the NEDP: auto components and engineering, mineral-based products, rubber, marine industries, spices and concentrates, digital products and services, electrical and electronic components, and processed food and beverages.

The remaining 10 committees will focus on apparel, Ayurveda and herbal products and cosmetics, coconut products, construction and power-energy services, gems and jewellery, organic products, ornamental fish, pharmaceuticals, seafood and aquaculture, and SME export development.

The EDB said the committees would play an important role in shaping annual action plans, national export policy and the NEDP, while providing sector-specific input to improve competitiveness and place exports on a sustainable growth path.

The NEDP 2026–2030, formulated by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development in collaboration with the EDB and other public and private-sector stakeholders, was developed with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank. It focuses on improving the business environment, diversifying Sri Lanka’s export basket and strengthening the country’s capacity to reach the US$36 billion export target by 2030.