Agri project in Valaichchenai

The National Paper Company Limited jointly with Brio Agro (Pvt) Limited launched a new agriculture project at its paper mill premises in Valaichchenai in Batticaloa.

Competent Authority, Mangala Senerath said that the project will diversify the business of the company and put to better use the huge resources of the company which was abandoned for over three decades.

We have over 350 acres of land and the huge Vakaneri reservoir and pump house that provides water to the Pasikuda area.

“On the instructions of Ministry Secretary, Willi Gamage we have prepared an extensive program to utilise these assets that were abandoned or under-utilised to increase revenue,” Senarath said.

“We have already reached break-even point in paper production at the Valaichchenai mill and will be able to earn profits in the coming months,” he said.

In phase I of the project ,100 acres of land will be developed and of them 60 acres will be used to cultivate maize, 10 acres each for papaya, banana and moringa (murunga) cultivation, five acres for mango and another five acres for other vegetables. The project will provide 150 jobs.

In phase II of the project it will set up cottages for agro- tourism, a dairy farm, export processing centre for fruits and vegetables and a bio gas plant.

The project is launched to co-incide with the birthday of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and factory employees will take part in religious observances. The chief guest will be the District Secretary of the Batticaloa district.