Min Visituru-2012: showcasing underwater beauty
Ridma DISSANAYAKE
Min Visituru-2012, the international exhibition of ornamental fish
and aquatic plants and accessories, was ceremonially opened at the Sri
Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre yesterday under the patronage of
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne and Deputy Minister
Susantha Punchinilame.
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Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha
Senaratne participate in the opening of the Min Visituru-2012
exhibition. Inset: An exhibit that attracted the crowd’s
attention.
Pictures by Thushara Fernando |
The three day exhibition is organised by the National Aquaculture
Development Authority (NAQDA) along with the Economic Development
Ministry and the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry to
boost the country's ornamental fish industry.
The exhibition is targeting international buyers, sellers and the
public interested in ornamental fish.
"The ornamental fish industry has a rapidly increasing export market
and Sri Lanka has a huge potential to grow in the industry. Though Sri
Lanka's share in the international market is small, Sri Lanka is among
the few well-known countries in the industry.
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Czechoslovakia and Thailand were the
leading ornamental fish exporters and total annual export value of these
countries is around US$ 200 million," sources said.
Sri Lanka's total export earnings from ornamental fish were Rs 1,112
million in 2011, they said.
There are over 100 exhibition stalls at the exhibition and it is open
to the public until tomorrow.
NAQDA chairman Nihal Chandraratne, Ceylon Fisheries Corporation
chairman Maheel Senaratne and large number of guests participated. |
