The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) recently undertook a regional visit to the Northern Province as part of its ongoing efforts to connect member exporters with regional enterprises and support export-related business opportunities across the country. The visit brought together an NCE delegation consisting of 20 member exporters and service providers

for a series of business meetings and knowledge-sharing sessions held in Trincomalee and Jaffna.

The regional visit was conducted with the support of Seylan Bank as the Exclusive Banking Partner, Smart Marine Lanka as the Exclusive Logistics Partner, and Dialog Enterprise as the Exclusive Digital Partner.

The first engagement took place in Trincomalee on 21 July 2026 with a B2B meeting held at Hotel Green Garden from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. The session was organised in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Trincomalee District and brought together more than 20 regional enterprises. The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to engage directly with NCE member exporters and service providers and discuss business opportunities, market access, and areas for collaboration.

The programme then moved to Jaffna on 22 July 2026 with a B2B Forum held at the Conference Hall of the District Secretariat of Jaffna from 9.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. The forum was organised in partnership with the Industrial Development Board (IDB), the Jaffna Manager's Forum, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Yarlpanam, and The Management Club Jaffna.

The B2B Forum was attended by the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. Nagalingam Vethanayahan, the Head of Chancery and Consul (Commerce) of the Consulate General of India in Jaffna, Mr. Shri Shankaran Rajagopalan, the Provincial Director (Northern) of the IDB, Mr. S. Sivagangadaran, and the President of the NCE, Mr. Indhra Kaushal Rajapakse, who addressed the gathering.

The forum brought together 40 regional enterprises and provided a platform for discussions between businesses in the Northern Province and the NCE delegation. The engagement focused on creating connections between regional enterprises and exporters while identifying opportunities for business partnerships and export market participation.

Following the B2B Forum, the NCE conducted a workshop for aspiring exporters at the Conference Hall of the District Secretariat of Jaffna from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. The workshop was organised in partnership with the Export Development Board (EDB) and was attended by Mr. K. Kanojan, District Officer and Assistant Director of the Northern Province Office of the EDB.

The workshop featured presentations by resource persons invited by the NCE on a range of topics relevant to businesses looking to enter export markets. These included standards, certification and compliance requirements, logistics and transportation, banking and financial solutions, as well as digital and social media marketing.

Sri Lanka's export earnings surpassed USD 9 billion in the first half of 2026. While the Northern Province currently contributes less than 5% to the national GDP, it offers a wide variety of opportunities across several sectors. These include fisheries and seafood, marine resource management and sustainable aquaculture, agriculture and food processing, including value-added agricultural produce, fruits, vegetables, and regional products such as Palmyrah-based products. The province is also emerging as a location for ICT/BPM, with several India-based startups looking to expand into Sri Lanka. In addition, three major BOI zones are being developed in the Northern Province, including the Kankesanthurai (KKS) zone, which is focused on the IT sector. The region also has vast tourism potential.

Through these engagements, the NCE's regional visit to the Northern Province highlights efforts  to tap into the region’s abundant opportunities further and expand  growth in the region. The visit provided member exporters and regional enterprises with opportunities to exchange knowledge, build business connections, and gain practical insights into export-related processes and requirements. The visit forms part of the Chamber's efforts to support regional businesses and encourage greater participation in Sri Lanka's export sector.