ILO project to help Northern farmers

By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

In keeping with the government's initiative to develop the agricultural sector of the country, the Northern Province will be provided assistance in the area of IT to improve efficiency and product quality, Chamber of Commerce and Industries Yalpanam, Chairman, K. Vignesh told a business delegation from Colombo last week.

The delegation was led by the National Chamber of Exporters.

There are ample natural resources in this province and there is also a need to identify the resources and showcase the province’s ability to reap economic benefits, he said. The application of technology will increase efficiency and reduce production cost enabling farmers to market their produce at reasonable prices.

A project with the ILO and the Yalpanam Chamber of Commerce to link the producers with the buyers, is in place and has become a match-making process for commercial purposes. The project supports commercially viable and sustainable businesses to grow further.

It is necessary to create awareness on market possibilities and build the confidence of buyers that quality products are available in the Northern Province. There is a good market in supplying the diaspora with seasonal vegetables, fruits, fish and palmyrah products, he said.

With the development of the road network it has become possible to exploit new market opportunities. However, the language gap still exists and a method to overcome this hurdle should be found without further delay. The elimination of a large number of intermediaries is necessary to ensure the smooth working of this value chain.

"We produce agricultural crops which have local and international demand. What we want at this juncture is a steady market to supply the wide varieties of products that are available in the Northern Province," Vignesh said.

It is necessary to teach farmers new farming practices. There is a a need for extended services relating to this sector as well. The industrial zones in the Northern Province also need upgrading, he said.