Second fish canning factory in Galle by May

by Elmo Leonard

The construction of Sri Lanka's second operational fish canning factory is expected to begin in May this year in Akmeemana, Galle, a collaboration venture between Spirit Wind Ltd (SAL) New Zealand and Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC), Mutwal.

SAL is expected to spend $60 million for completing the project within two years. The project will generate $70 million revenue, 1,500 direct employment and 4,000 indirect employment opportunities. CFC's equity is the large extent of land, which will be given out by the Southern Development Authority on long lease, CFC General Manager, Sarath Sahabandu said.

Thirty tonnes of tuna per day is expected to be needed for the fish canning factory, 90 percent of which will go into exports and the rest to the domestic market.

Fish canning does not become feasible unless large catches of fish are available, at low cost.

The New Zealand company is expected to fill in this need, bringing fishing craft into international waters, in close proximity of Sri Lanka. Spirit Wind's General Secretary, Raj Mylwaganam was in Sri Lanka but could not be contacted at the time of going to press.

Sri Lanka's first operational fish canning factory is expected to go into production end-2007, in Mutwal, Colombo. The island's first fish canning factory built in Pesalai, near Mannar in early 1970, ended a white elephant consequent to unrest between the North and South.

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