Big demand for MD products in export market
by L. S. A. Wedaarachchi
MD fruit cordials and jams produced by Lanka Canneries Ltd have
earned a prestigious name in the export market.
MD products are exported to 32 countries including Australia, Canada,
USA, UK, Italy, Middle East, India and the Maldives. Exports increased
by 27 percent this year compared to the last year.
Lanka Canneries Ltd., a leading private sector fruit and vegetable
processing company purchases 3,300 tonnes of fruit including 1,000
tonnes of pineapple from over 300 local suppliers annually.
According to a spokesman Lanka Canneries Ltd., buys only high quality
mature fruits for their production.
The state-of-the-art food processing factories of Lanka Canneries are
at Narahenpita and Attanagalla. Under the highly qualified trained food
technologists and technicians the factories produce 120 MD products.
The speciality of MD products is that they are made from natural
fruit and vegetables. MD products include fruit cordials, fruit jams,
chillies and tomato sauce, fruit pieces, canned fruit and vegetable
curries.
Marketing Manager of Lanka Canneries Ltd., Ajith Sirisena said MD
products have a big demand in Sri Lanka as well as in the foreign
market.
The recently introduced MD Necta drinks in glass bottles are highly
nutritious since they are pure juice from natural Sri Lankan fruits.
He said MD Necta and all other MD products are available in
supermarkets and leading shops islandwide.
There is a big demand for passion fruit cordial in the export market,
specially in the European market. Low sugar jam and Diabetic jam have a
big demand in the Indian market.
Lanka Canneries produces canned curries using Sri Lankan vegetables
such as Jak, Cadju Del, Keselmuha, Kohila, Kos Ata, and Innala
exclusively for the export market. MD jams and cordials, canned curries
and sauces are available in leading supermarkets all over the world.
Recently Sweden placed an order for MD Tomato sauce joining the
export marketing network. During the first world war in 1930 the Sri
Lankan government faced a severe food shortage specially for British
soldiers who were stationed here.
As a solution under the leadership of R. H. Baset the food supplies
and marketing Department was set up.
The local fruit jam processing factory was established at Narahenpita
by R. H. Baset and that was the birth of the present MD Factory.
As part of the privatisation program in the 1990s the ownership of
the fruit processing factories of the marketing department was given to
the present managing company.
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