Hayleys Agro wins double Gold again

Hayleys Agro Products Limited (HAPL), clinched four awards including two Golds at the Ag-Biz Awards 2009, the highest number of awards won by a single entity at this year's event.

The company received the Gold award in the large category as the Best Input Supplier, Gold award in the 'Medium category for its veterinary products, Silver Award in the Large category for farm machinery and equipment and Silver Award in the Large category for its extension services, at the annual Agribusiness Awards organised by National Agribusiness Council.

"These awards recognise our commitment in many facets of local agriculture and livestock development as well as the catalytic role played by Hayleys Agro in helping Sri Lankan farmers to improve yields and quality of both agri crops and livestock," Hayleys PLC Agri Sector Head Rizvi Zaheed said.

Zaheed attributed the company's consistent success at the Ag-Biz awards to the close affinity and rapport it had built with farmers in many parts of the country.

Hayleys Agro invited 220 farmers to visit the Ag-Biz 2009 exhibition held in conjunction with the awards ceremony.

These farmers from areas such as Welimada, Uva Paranagama, Kirawanagama, Rathamba, Madawela, Dangamuwa, Keppetipola, Boralanda, Bogahakumbura, Girambe, Rajanganaya, Thambuththegama, Thalawa, Saliyapura, Ketiyawa, Eppawala, Kekirawa, Pahala Maragahawewa and Nachchaduwa were members of Hayleys Agro Farmer Clubs (Govi Samajaya) established in Welimada and Anuradhapura.

"The farmers found this visit very enlightening in terms of the exposure they received to new technology and products Zaheed said. "It was also a memorable first visit to Colombo for some of them."

He said the Ag-Biz awards the company had won would be further motivation to continue with its long-standing involvement in local agriculture especially in the area of introducing more environment friendly crop protection products.

The company also announced plans to introduce three new low toxicity insecticides 'Provado 70% WG,' 'Belt' and `Curbix' from Bayer Crop Science in the near future.

Hayleys Agro's product portfolio includes crop protection chemicals - insecticides, fungicides and weedicides, vegetable seeds, seed paddy and seed potatoes, fertilizer, agri equipment including sprayers, tractors, combine harvesters and threshers; micro irrigation systems and animal health products including antibiotics, biologicals, feed additives and veterinary pharmaceuticals. Marketed under a one-stop concept, the company's products are widely available in over 90 per cent of agricultural outlets in the country.

In addition to introducing the latest inputs generated by international research and development in agriculture, Hayleys Agro continues to provide comprehensive extension services at the grass roots level in all agricultural areas of the country and has invested substantially in bio technology for new generation agriculture. Simultaneously, the company continues to introduce new products and services to build capacity in traditional agriculture.