Sri Lanka’s garment industry says it needs exchange rate stability and the rate of inflation brought down, to do business.“The rate of inflation needs to be brought down to at least 10 percent – 12 percent minimum, over the next 6 months. It needs to be brought down to a single digit, but immediately, this minimum level needs to be met. The other important thing is exchange rate stability. With the rupee depreciating at this rate companies cannot plan for the future,” said Ajith Dias, Chairman of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), the garment industry representative body.

The Jinasena family, coming out of the closet this week, unveiled probably Sri Lanka’s best known business secret -- running the world’s largest solid tyre company and now planning to bring home skilled Sri Lankans working overseas with competitive wages.

With an offer to acquire the Confifi Hotels in the bag, blue chip John Keels Holdings (JKH) plans to expand its hotels to India in coming months, according to a top company official.

This is not a worry for Renuka Priyadarshini, 33, in marketing the “Bim-Mal” (mushrooms) she grows in the darkened little shed in her own backyard in Lunuwilawatte, Galle.