Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Competitive Advantages

• Geological opinion estimated 90% of Sri Lanka as being potential gem bearing land
• Existence of a thriving jewellery industry
• Fastest developing gem cutting and finishing centre in the world producing stones meeting the highest international standards
• Attractive incentives
• Access to a pool of technical and professional manpower at competitive wage rates
• Good infrastructure
• Competencies built over years of experience in the industry
• Training facilities
  

  Potential Areas for Investment

• Equity Technology - heat treatment and enhancement of techniques, cutting techniques, quality assurance, technical training, trends and designs.
• Marketing - marketing access, marketing expertise
  The BOI seeks projects that are ideally export oriented or joint ventures.
  
  

  Sri Lanka's Gem and Jewellery Industry

  Regional centre for gold trading and gems and jewellery manufacture

  Sri Lanka has implemented polices which would enable the country to become a regional centre for trading in gold and the manufacture of gems and jewellery. A key element of this policy was the introduction of an open ended exemption from income tax, duty free importation of gems and gold for the manufacture of jewellery and duty free import of tools, machinery and equipment required for the cutting and processing of gems.
  
  

  Gem bearing land

  Geological opinion estimated 90% of Sri Lanka as being potential gem bearing land. There are 5 major gem-producing areas in Sri Lanka with Ratnapura (the "City of Gems") being the traditional gem-mining region. The gem-bearing belt is approximately 80 miles long and 20 miles wide, and lies south-west of the central hills. Apart from this main belt of production, there are also gem-producing areas in several other parts of the country.

  Today, Sri Lanka is reputed to be the fastest developing gem cutting and finishing centre in the world, producing stones that meet the highest international standards. The jewellery industry is also thriving and it too has a long tradition, with the expertise and experience of dedicated craftsmen passed on from generation to generation.

  Competitive Wage Rates

  LAPIDARY WORKERS Category Monthly Wage (SLRs.) Polishers 10,000 Quality Controllers 7,000 Cutters 6,000-7,000 Dopping 5,000-6,000

  
  

  JEWELLERY WORKERS Category Monthly Wage (SLRs.) Stone setters 10,000-12,000 Craftsmen (hand made)     Grade I     Grade II   8,000-10,000 10,000-15,000 Craftsmen (casting) 5,000-7,000 Designers 6,000-10,000

  Incentives