The paramount objectives of this event were to promote exports of goods, produce and products from Sri Lanka to Bahrain and tourism from Bahrain to Sri Lanka. The four-day event was attended by over 6,000 visitors and shoppers including nationals of Sri Lanka domiciled in Bahrain.
At the opening ceremony of the "Sri Lankan Produce & Food Mart", Senior Minister/Statesmen and Former Minister of Electricity & Water and chairman of Bin Juma Holding Company, Abdulla Mohamed Juma, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and a large number of invitees and guests including corporate leaders and captains of industry, importers of goods and services from Sri Lanka and South Asia, Secretaries (Undersecretary) and Additional Secretaries of ministries including Foreign Office, Personal Representatives of Ministers of Industry, Commerce & Tourism and Labor & Social Development, ambassadors and diplomatic corps and media, among others, attended the ceremony. The opening remarks and addresses were made by the Senior Regional Director of Lulu International, Juzer Rupawala, and ambassador of Sri Lanka, Dr. A. Saj U. Mendis. Dr. Mendis accentuated the economic, trade, commercial and touristic utility of the country and urged the select invitees to purchase the newly introduced products and produce of Sri Lanka and to visit Sri Lanka as the country was chosen by the "Lonely Planet" less than a couple of months ago as the most desired touristic destination in year 2019. The Chief Guest and Ambassadors of India, the UK, Germany and Philippines too made positive and encouraging remarks at the event, in general, and their respective visits and vacations in Sri Lanka, in particular.
The Lulu International, which operates Lulu Hypermarkets in the region of Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, South Asia and East Asia, has over 160 outlets and Hypermarkets in a number of countries and is one of the fastest growing department stores in the world. On the weekends, approximately 300,000 to 400,000 Saudi nationals visit Bahrain and, quite often, they visit Lulus Hypermarkets for purposes of shopping and for buying goods and products. The aforementioned event was held at Lulu Hypermarket in Juffair, which is, by far the most visited and busiest in Bahrain, coinciding with the weekend. The Economic Affairs Division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo and the embassy of Sri Lanka in the Kingdom of Bahrain coordinated and negotiated with the respective local partners of Lulu International in Sri Lanka as well as with the Corporate Head-office of Lulu International in Abu-Dhabi, UAE to import, display and market goods and products, which are not being already imported by Lulu Hypermarket of Lulu International, thus endeavoring to introduce and present new range of goods and products from Sri Lanka to Bahrain and to the region of GCC, in particular. In this context, Lulu International in close collaboration with the Embassy had a number of new products and goods displayed and marketed during the event and presumably, would continue to import and market those products at all Lulu Hypermarkets in Bahrain. Some of the new products imported and introduced were jaggery, cinnamon, sea food including tuna and prawns, pepper, handlooms and batik from Laksala, authentic Sri Lankan handicraft, virgin coconut oil, various kinds of biscuits, confectionary products such as Alli noodles, Sri Lankan instant food products and new brands of tea such as Devon, among others. Almost all these products and produce were sold during the four-day event.
On the fourth day of the event, Chef Dr. Silva conducted a cookery competition, in which, the contestants were to prepare and to serve "Fish Ambulthiyal" a dish which is inherent and intrinsic to Sri Lankan culinary cuisine. Chef Dr. Silva was the exclusive judge of the competition and he tasted each and every dish of "Fish Ambulthiyal" and assigned marks for their presentation, taste, novelty and creativity, among others. Over 25 contestants participated including a number of foreign nationals and non-Sri Lankans. The first three were given valuable gift vouchers and, surprisingly, the second prize was won by an Indian national. Further, Chef Dr. Silva shared his expert culinary knowledge of Sri Lankan cuisine, spanning over six decades, with invitees, shoppers and visitors during the event, which they were most grateful and appreciative.