The Chamber of Northern Exporters (CNE) Delivering Goods and Services From Jaffna and the Northern Province
By Jekhan Aruliah
We have heard it so many times, “We must export more!”. We have heard it from politicians and economists and assorted commentators of assorted quality through miscellaneous channels. “We must export more” deserves the internet acronym SOTBO. Internet slang for a “Statement Of The Bleeding Obvious”. A statement so basic, so self-evident, why say it? We already know it. What are we doing about it?
For the country as a whole exports are obviously vital. Not only do exports bring us foreign currency. Selling only within Sri Lanka is a very limited and crowded opportunity. Exports offer a virtually infinite market. But there is even more to exporting than that.
Exporting brings us more than only dollars. Competing internationally forces us to keep up with the international markets. We see the latest market opportunities and innovations as they come. We stop being ‘frogs in the well’ waiting to be plucked out by predators. Crucially we can compete with foreign companies who come to sell into our homeland Sri Lanka.
The Northern Province has its own USP over other provinces, the Diaspora. This powerful though waning and disappointingly under-used network of investors and mentors and customers and networkers. Not only reaching the Diaspora directly, but through their network reaching those with no Sri Lankan heritage: their friends and business partners. Foreigners who have built strong and trusting relationships with the Diaspora. Friends of Diaspora friends, business partners of Diaspora businesses, a network that stretches far beyond émigré Sri Lankans. The real power of the Diaspora is not what it can buy from us. The real power is reaching markets and investors through and beyond the Diaspora.
The Chamber of Northern Exporters (CNE) is a Jaffna based alliance of companies who are already successfully exporting. They represent a diverse group: Agriculture, Fisheries, Food & Drink, Handicrafts, Ayurveda, ICT, and other industrial sectors. Already 40 foot containers loaded with produce regularly leave Jaffna carrying goods to the Colombo ports. But too few of these 40 footers are going. The Northern exporters have the same issues faced by enterprises across Sri Lanka: Logistics, Warehousing, Shipping, Packaging, Financing; etc. And not least the inefficient and incorrigible bureaucratic friction getting approvals suffered by everyone in every part of the Sri Lankan economy. Key for CNE is collective advocacy, raising these issues and making better deals for exporters from logistics to loans. Representing exporters with the bureaucrats and policy makers in both Provincial and Central authorities.
CNE is active mentoring young entrepreneurs and supporting women headed businesses. The North has huge underdeveloped potential in these youth and women sectors, which is true across the nation. According to the Department of Census and Statistics in 2025 Q2, national unemployment (people who want a job but can’t find one) in 15-24 age group is 26.2% for women and 17.5% for men (2025 Q2, Dept of Census & Statistics).
CNE is a recognition that we are not competing with each other inside the Northern Province, we are competing with the rest of the World. Northern companies helping even their own competitors inside the North makes them all stronger. When we are all stronger we create a Northern Province brand of quality, capability, capacity and excellence to attract worldwide customers to come to us.
The Jaffna brand needs to be far more than a temple, an ice-cream parlour, and a fort. The North outside Jaffna hardly has any brand at all.
CNE is promoting direct exports from the Northern Province. Before the civil war the North was an agricultural and fisheries and industrial powerhouse. Before the civil war the North was the largest fisheries producer in Sri Lanka. Now, even 16 years after the end of the war, the North remains well behind in fisheries catch. Major northern factories for garments, chemicals, boat building and other industries that thrived before the war hardly exist.
We see little value add in the North. Most of Northern produce goes to the South where the value add is done and the export profits are reaped and spent in investments and in fun. CNE’s objective is to change this. To build Northern value add, export direct, and enjoy the GDP share in the North.
There is much optimism. But optimism doesn’t put food on the plate. There is talk of extending the Palaly Airport runway, enabling direct flights to the Middle East and Far East can be made. This immediately opens the prospect of direct export of fresh produce including seafood and high value agri-products. There are optimistic dreams of tourists and executives making intercontinental flights direct to Jaffna. We have had talk of new industrial zones in key Northern towns: KKS, Paranthan and Mankulam.
So far we have only seen a boom in foundation stones, lay and leave. If these promises become reality then they create immense opportunities for our Northern industries and exporters. Great opportunities for the Northern Province to contribute more to the national economy.
The Northern Province contributes only around 4.5% to national GDP (Central Bank figure for 2023). The target is 10% share of GDP by 2030. That is a very ambitious target, going from 4.5% to 10% in 5 years requiring over 17% growth in share each year (compounding growth). Trading and Consumption, now the mainstays of the Northern economy, will not achieve this. This is only made really possible by Producing and Exporting direct.
CNE opened its Jaffna offices in February 2025. It is still evolving to grow its membership and broaden its services. Evolving to achieve its objective of making the Northern Province a highly successful exporter. Boosting the North’s flagging economy to return to the status it had once held before the war. Making a greater contribution to the Sri Lankan economy.
You can contact CNE:
Email: info@cne.lk
Website: www.cne.lk
Address: Chamber of Northern Exporters
1st Floor, National Housing Development Authority Building, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
( — The writer Jekhan Aruliah was born in Sri Lanka and moved with his family to the UK when he was two years of age. Brought up in London, he graduated from Cambridge University in 1986 with a degree in Natural Sciences. Jekhan then spent over two decades in the IT industry, for half of which he was managing offshore software development for British companies in Colombo and in Gurgaon (India). In 2015 Jekhan decided to move to Jaffna where he is now involved in social and economic projects. He can be contacted at jekhanaruliah@gmail.com — )