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| Sunday, 8 February 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Second EPC in Attanagalla by Hiran H. Senewiratne The Export Development Board (EDB) will open its second Export Processing Company (EPC) at Attanagalla in the near future to create an export-oriented culture in the country. The proposed EPC, a mica processing factory, is expected to generate many jobs. The EDB has initiated the establishment of EPCs in every province under the export village programme, said EDB Deputy Director (Export Agriculture Division) Dhammika Jayawardena. He said this programme will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Economy and the Samurdhi Authority of Sri Lanka (SASL). "This would be a big boost for the agriculture sector," said Jayawardena. After studying the success of its first project in Galgamuwa, the EDB decided to set up its latest project in Attanagalla, he said. Explaining the export production village concept, he said that under this programme, rural peasents and farmers would be able to form companies that produce products for export. The SASL would finance farmers or producers to become shareholders in EPCs, he added. The objective of the programme is to promote rural EPCs to be linked with export trading houses. This would enable the maximum value addition of primary products, produced in each province, which would ultimately reduce the cost of post-harvest losses in agro products, he said.The inter-connection between EPCs and export houses within each province would help reduce the cost of production of most agricultural products. This initiative would help Sri Lanka to be competitive in the international market as well,he said. The Galgamuwa EPC, established a few months ago, had made rapid progress.The project include cultivation and processing of fruits and vegetables for export. This had benefited more than 1000 farmers, while providing employment opportunities for several youth in the area. Jayawardena hinted that the next project, a coir processing company, would be established at Iranawila in the Puttalam district. |
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