An Advisory Council for the Development of the Textile and Apparel Manufacturing Industry was officially appointed yesterday (29) under the patronage of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti.
The Council is one of 26 Sectoral Advisory Councils operating under the Ministry and comprises 25 members from the public sector, private sector, and academia. Hemantha Perera, Managing Director of Isabella (Pvt) Ltd and Sarasavi Export (Pvt) Ltd, was appointed as Chairman. The Council will serve a two-year term, providing guidance, support, and policy direction for the growth of the textile and apparel manufacturing sector.
During discussions with the newly appointed Chairman and Council members, Minister Handunnetti reviewed measures needed to strengthen the industry. Council members highlighted several challenges, including land acquisition issues, labour shortages, policy constraints, difficulties in raw material supply, and export-related concerns. They also raised the need to introduce a cess tax to protect local textile and apparel manufacturers.
Emphasising the strategic importance of the sector, Minister Handunnetti noted that the textile and apparel industry provides around 1.2 million direct jobs and is Sri Lanka’s largest foreign exchange earner. He assured that steps would be taken promptly to address the sector’s existing issues.
The event was attended by Additional Secretaries Subhadra Walpola and S.W.C. Jayamini, ministry officials, and representatives from the Industrial Development Board, Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Textile and Garment Institute, National Crafts Council, National Design Centre, garment associations, and other industry stakeholders.
