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Lankan Cart bridges gap between village producers and Gulf markets

A new export platform is opening doors for Sri Lanka's small-scale producers to reach customers in the UAE and wider Gulf region, bypassing traditional distribution barriers that have long limited their market access.

LSN Sri Lanka · 21 October 2026

Lankan Cart, a newly established export initiative, is creating a direct trade route for small and medium-sized Sri Lankan producers to access the lucrative Dubai and broader Gulf Cooperation Council markets. The platform addresses a longstanding challenge faced by village-based manufacturers and artisans who lack the scale, logistics infrastructure, and international connections to reach export markets independently.

The service operates by consolidating products from multiple small producers, handling documentation, quality assurance, and shipping logistics to Gulf destinations. This aggregation model allows individual producers to achieve economies of scale while maintaining their production operations at the village level, preserving local employment and traditional craftsmanship.

The initiative targets a wide range of Sri Lankan products, from agricultural goods to handicrafts and value-added food items, categories with established demand in Gulf markets. By eliminating intermediaries and streamlining the export process, Lankan Cart aims to improve profit margins for local producers while offering competitive pricing to Gulf retailers and consumers.

The move represents a significant development for Sri Lanka's rural economy, which has historically struggled with export market access. Industry observers note that such platforms could help diversify export revenue streams and reduce dependency on traditional sectors while creating sustainable income opportunities for village communities.