Sunday Observer Online
 

Home

Sunday, 26 June 2016

Untitled-1

observer
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Cinnamon: Lanka to meet global standard

Pure Ceylon Cinnamon campaign:

Geneva: Improving the capacity of traders to meet food safety and hygiene standards can help to boost exports and improve competitiveness, participants were told at a seminar on Sri Lanka's cinnamon industry at the WTO's headquarters on June 21.

It was organized by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) - a WTO-supported program - and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The STDF is a global partnership established by the WTO and four other international organizations - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) - to help exporters of agricultural goods improve their ability to meet international food safety and hygiene standards.

The STDF is working on a project to strengthen Sri Lanka's capacity in this area and to increase its competitiveness in the global market in partnership with UNIDO.

Sri Lanka's Ambassador, R. D. S. Kumararatne said, "Sri Lanka is known as the Spice Island. It was historically attractive to merchants from the Middle East and Western nations due to its richness in spices, and Ceylon Cinnamon is the most important spice commodity in the spice sector."

However, the country's cinnamon exports have been declining, he said, largely due to the country's lack of capacity to meet the sophisticated needs of buyers and high food safety standards.

The joint STDF-UNIDO project is helping cinnamon producers in Sri Lanka overcome trading constraints by formulating national standards and a curriculum for vocational training.

The STDF and its partners have also supported the setting up of a Cinnamon Training Academy for cinnamon processors.

"The project has really improved the conditions of families involved in the cinnamon industry," said Sarada de Silva, Managing Director of the Cinnamon Training Academy.

With the help of the WTO, Sri Lanka has also started work on registering 'Pure Ceylon Cinnamon' as a 'geographical indication' in the European markets as a means of giving greater value to high-quality Ceylon Cinnamon.

Deputy Director-General David Shark said, "The STDF is an excellent example of an Aid-for-Trade partnership on strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary capacity to help developing countries gain and maintain market access."

Since its creation in 2004, the STDF has delivered 150 projects to help developing countries improve their SPS capacity and promote safe trade in food and agricultural products.

 

 | EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

eMobile Adz
 

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sports | Spectrum | World | Obituaries | Junior |

 
 

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2016 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor