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            8,000-10,000
    Grade II          10,000-15,000
Craftsmen (casting)    5,000-7,000
Designers              6,000-10,000

Source : http://www.depthai.go.th