Farmer associations opt for organic products for export

Hathoon Sheriffdeen

Sri Lankan farmers should be treated well to protect the agri-industry. This will reduce farmers leaving their traditional farming to move into other industries, a leading entrepreneur said.

"I wish officers working with farmers should include the profession of farmer on their business cards to diversify attraction towards farming to protect young farmers leaving their family jobs.

Other countries give prominent to farmers in their country. Sri Lanka dose'nt give prominent to farmers and this has led to the decline of our economy," Chairman, Pelawatte Sugar Corporation, Ariyaseela Wickramanayaka Said.

Provincial farmer associations signed agreements with several companies to sell organic agricultural products organised by the National Agri Business Council on Thursday.

These leading exporters of agri-products will purchase the crops of their partner associations in future.

Provincial farmer associations who signed agreements to supply their crops to exporters are Nuwara Eliya, Matale Moneragala, Hambantota, Badulla and Ampara, Chairman, Federation of Farmers' Council, Mario de Alwis said. "Sri Lanka has enough facilities for the agricultural industry.

The industry has to fit into the food safety requirements of the global agricultural industry. We also have to concentrate on the European buyers for our products in future. We have not reached the market yet," de Alwis said.

These private sector institutions and farmers in the country should be in contact to utilise the maximum resources available in the country. The companies' export and import various agricultural products and this will help to promote agricultural product manufacturers.

"We have made room for them to make use of the products manufactured. The failure to meet requirements of European standards will put the Sri Lankan agri-industry into trouble," de Alwis said.

"We have enough financial support in our country. Farmers and the private sector alone cannot reach these funds. The facilitators of these funds request transparency in the utilisation of those funds. These tie-ups will give them room to utilise funds available in future, he said.