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Aquatic Nurseries in News

Aquatic Nurseries (Pvt) Limited is one of the largest ornamental fish exporters in Sri Lanka established in 1996. Our CHairman/Managing Director of the company, Sathyendra Wijayapura is also the President of the Ornamental Fish Exporters Association of Sri Lanka instrumental in cordinating with the legislature, Government Institutions and lobby for the Industry . He also holds the position of the Chairman to the Advisory Committee on Ornamental Fish appointed by the Sri Lankan Government. There are over 50,000 stakeholders including breeders, suppliers and collectors and the ornamental fish industry expects to flourish with the booming development of Sri Lanka as a nation.

Sri Lanka Ornamental Fish Exports to Rise with Help from German Pet Industry Experts


Daily News 27 September 2010 (Link: http://investsrilanka.blogspot.com/2010/09/sri-lanka-ornamental-fish-exports-to.html)

Sri Lanka is to increase its ornamental fish share in the world market in spite of various challenges such as GSP plus concession withdrawal.

The country's ornamental fish share in the world market is 3 percent now. Plans have been made to increase the world market share with foreign expert assistance in the ornamental fish industry, Association of Live Tropical Fish Exporters of Sri Lanka, President Sathyendra Wijayapura said.

A 40 member German pet industry delegation is now in Sri Lanka.

They hope to assist the local ornamental fish industry in identifying lucrative areas.

The delegation is also exploring opportunities of breeding reptiles and exporting them to foreign countries as it brings a large amount of foreign exchange to Sri Lanka in addition, he said.

Ornamental fish industry targets Rs 1 billion

Daily News 30 March 2011 (Link: http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/03/30/bus03.asp )
By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya
The ornamental fish industry expects to reach Rs one billion by end of this year despite difficulties due to the depreciation of the exchange rate at present.

The industry targets Rs one billion foreign exchange this year. However, the downward movement in the exchange rate has adversely affected the industry. This has become the major impediment for the industry growth, the Ornamental Fish Exporters Association of Sri Lanka Sathyendra Wijayapura told Daily News Business.

“There is a difference between the airport exchange rate and the rate that is offered by the bank. This has resulted in a loss of revenue,” he said.

The changing weather conditions and the recent Japanese Tsunami which impacted on the change in the sea beds will have a negative impact on the ornamental fish industry. The entire industry suffers due to adverse changes in the environment, he said.

The overhead prices keep on increasing and the cost of the imported items have not reduced.Therefore, the export turnover has come down. However, we are expecting this situation to improve and to reach the target by the end of this year, Wijayapura said.

The local industry has to compete with markets such as Israel, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. China is also emerging as a leading ornamental fish exporter. It is important for the industry to have a conducive environment, he said.

Ornamental fish exports held due to non-availability of air cargo

The Island 22 March 2006 (Link: http://www.island.lk/2006/03/22/business4.html )

The Asian Tribune 20 March 2006 (Link: http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2006/03/20/export-ornamental-fish-hold-want-space-air-carriers )
By Sunil C. Perera

The Association of Live Tropical Fish Exporters say that they lost over Rs.75 million during the last four weeks , due to the non availability of air cargo spaces for their commodities in the International Air Lines .

The industry does not need any foreign investment, but earns billions of dollars through ornamental fish and aquatic plants exports. Around 25 ornamental fish exporters are still affected due to the Airlines decision, not to allocate cargo spaces for exports.

All stakeholders including fish collectors, divers, fish breeders have no way to sell their ornamental fish varieties and aquatic plants due to this unreasonable decision.

Secretary to the Association of Live Tropical Fish Exporters Sathyendra Wijayapura says with no air cargo space and out the industry is facing very pathetic situation in these days.

The Association has decided to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksha to solve their problum soon. Wijayapura said that their association held a number of discussions with the authorities including the Export Development Board to obtain a fruitful solution, but efforts for the failed.

Last four weeks we stopped our exports, he added.

At present local fish and aquatic plants exporters earn over 10 million USD through the industry per annum.

Right now, this is peak season for ornamental fish varieties in foreign countries. They just finish their winter, they buy lots of fish during these days. But this demand will decline After May , Wijayapura said.

This is the first time we face this type of problem from Air Lines. Lots of our members have off loaded shipments. Their products had gone up to Dubai and come back to Sri Lanka , due to lack of cargo space in international airlines. However, the local customs charges import duty for our own goods when it arrives in Katunayaka Air Port. All products perished due to this , he said.

The Export Development Board has made a number of efforts to solve this problem. But International Air Lines have not responded the EDB’s request.We need immediate solution, he said.

At present Sri Lanka plays a major role in export of ornamental fish. We have very good skills to collect fish varieties. In Sri Lanka UNESCO estimates as many as 50000 people are directly involved in the export of reef animals.We have some rare marine fish varieties .In addition to that Sri Lanka sells a number of best Gappi varieties to all over the world. Our out growers in the remote villages have affected under the prevailing problem. They are not rich farmers, he said.

According to the Air Line sources, that they have heavy backlog of Air Cargo .They have got rid of these bulk loads.

Not only Sri Lanka , other major international air ports and air lines have a similar problem due to heavy backlog of air cargo. Due to the prevailing situation we cannot directly accuse Air Lines, he said.

However, the Association said that the government must arrange direct cargo plights to major destinations to assist local exporters.This is not a new business area for Sri Lanka, said an exporter, who also faced a similar problem.Usually the ornamental fish exporters pay high charges due to live fish exports.

The industry needs amicable solution to sort out this matter, he said.The Association said that Sri Lanka has no strong national carrier.

Emirates has a little bit of monopoly, said exporters.

Other News Links


Ornamental fish industry thrives Can reach US $ one billion by 2012 (Link: http://www.topssrilanka.com/article18076-ornamental-fish-industry-thrives-can-reach-us-one-billion-by-2012.html )

Sunday Times 03 October 2010 ( http://sundaytimes.lk/101003/BusinessTimes/bt06.html)