The Spices and Allied Products Traders’ Association

The Spices and Allied Products Traders’ Association (SAPTA) was formed in 1984 when the Cardamom Traders Association and the Sri Lanka Association of Producers and Exporters of Spices and Other Products (SLPESOP) disbanded. With the objective of enlarging the scope of the Association, it was re-named The Spices and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders’ Association (SAPPTA) in 1997.

SAPPTA was primarily founded to enable its members, comprising exporters, producers and brokers associated with the spice industry and other such agricultural products, to address, with one voice, State Authorities on policy matters relating to them and to act in unison in strategies on increasing their production and exports from Sri Lanka. The Association undertook, as a priority, the responsibility of instilling discipline and order within the Industry.

The Association’s interests span the entire spectrum of spices, including cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamoms, nutmeg, mace and vanilla, and other agricultural crops and derivatives such as cashew, arecanuts, cocoa, coffee, essential oils, oleoresins, herbal products and organic products.

SAPPTA promotes regular dialogue with the State Agencies and other policy making bodies and maintains a good rapport with the Department of Export Agriculture of Sri Lanka (DEA), the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka (EDB), the Department of Customs, the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Finance, as well as Foreign Agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). SAPPTA also works in harmony with the recently incorporated Spice Council, the formation of which it facilitated.

In the twenty three years of its existence, SAPPTA has developed into a strong institution with over 125 members, comprising exporters, producers, brokers, processors, dealers and those offering services to the industry. As such, it has truly become the ‘VOICE’ of the Spice Industry.

SAPPTA is affiliated to the prestigious Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and is also a member of the Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka and the National Agribusiness Council, with representation on the Committees of these bodies.

 

Executive Committee for 2008/2009

Mr Karthik Ramachandran (Chairman), Mr W.H.S.C. Fernando (Vice-Chairman), Mr M.C.M. Zarook (Vice-Chairman), Past Chairmen - Mr L Wickramasooriya, Mr C Dassnaike, A.S. Chatoor, Exporter Representatives (Mr S.A. Cader, Mr V. Abeyratne, Mr R. Umashanker, Mr G.S. Chatoor, Mr S.M. Rafeed, Mr Buhary M. Ismail, Producer Representatives (Mr T.A.G.de Mel, Mr Viren Ruberu, Mr D. Sivaraj, Mr S. Muthusammy, Mr J. Rodrigo, Dealer Representatives (Mr M. Basheer Ahamed, Service Provider Representative (Mr Sunith Subawickrema), Broker Representative (Mr Lalith Perera), Processor Representative (Mr L. Karunaratne), On Invitation (Mr D Perera)