The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a 25-member diplomatic delegation on a three-day tour of the Eastern Province, with the aim of showcasing the region’s cultural, economic, investment, and tourism opportunities to Colombo-based foreign missions while fostering new avenues for regional cooperation.
During the visit, the delegation had been taken to the BOI’s 255-acre Punnaikuda Eravurpattu Textile Manufacturing Zone, which was strategically conceived to vertically integrate Sri Lanka’s world-class apparel sector, as it enables localised fabric manufacturing, reducing long-standing reliance on imported materials.
During their visit, diplomats toured the state-of-the-art Jay Jay Mills facility within the zone and shared positive reflections on the initiative. Chargé d’affaires of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo Olivier Praz praised the collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the BOI, noting that seeing major companies like Jay Jay invest heavily in local economic development and high-quality fabric manufacturing sets a valuable example for future investors in the region.
High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka Nayyar Naseer expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to explore the newly emerged industrial zone and highlighted potential bilateral benefits. He noted that targeted visits allow diplomats to communicate concrete investment and tourism opportunities back to their home business communities, strengthening long-standing economic ties.
Ambassador of Vietnam Trinh Thai Tam also remarked on the high-standard processing capabilities observed at the park, such as dyeing and printing, recommending that Vietnamese investors explore the facilities and favourable policies available in Sri Lanka’s industrial zones.
Providing an operational perspective, Jay Jay Textile Limited CEO Deepak Kumar explained that the group has operated in Sri Lanka for over 20 years across various BOI zones. He emphasised that the specialised Eravurpattu processing zone allows the company to target a future capacity of 100 tons per day, positioning it among Asia’s largest plants, supported by BOI duty and tax benefits on advanced, automated machinery.
Built around core principles of sustainability, efficiency, and high-capacity production, the facility features dedicated water treatment plants and high-efficiency boilers, showcasing the long-term industrial potential of the Eastern Province.