Sewalanka to produce organic seeds
Sewalanka Organic Seeds Company to produce organic consumption seeds
for export under BOI. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka granted
investment approval to Sewalanka Organic Seeds Company (Private)
Limited. Mr. Dhammika Perera, Chairman/Director General signed the
agreement on behalf of the BOI and formally presented the BOI
Certificate of Registration to the Investors.
The investment agreement for Rs. 30 million signed with Sewalanka
Organic Seeds Company (Private) Limited is for a project to produce
organic consumption seeds for the export market and production of
organic planting materials and agricultural products.
Sewalanka Organic Seeds Company (Pvt) Limited is a social enterprise
that focuses on promoting food security, biodiversity and environmental
sustainability through the production of organic planting materials and
agricultural products.
Sewalanka Foundation, a registered not for profit, non-governmental
organisation, is facilitating the establishment of the project as part
of their objective to promote sustainable rural development by offering
support and services in the development of agriculture.
The proposed investors in the Project are PARCIC of Japan and
Sevalink Inc of USA.
The venture is expected to be located in Anuradhapura. The initial
products will be organic red rice, organic black sesame (gingelly) and
organic finger millet (kurukkan) with the required government and
SriCert certifications. Sewalanka Organic Seeds Company will draw on
existing farmer networks to establish an outgrower program.
Pure seed stock will be distributed to farmers in Anuradhapura,
Polonnaruwa and Vavuniya. The Company will help the outgrower farmers
obtain organic certification, microfinance services and technical
support as needed.
Once the seed supply is established and collection and quality
control systems are in place, the program will be extended to other
products and other parts of the island.
The Anuradhapura farm will serve as a collection point for the raw
organic products which will be cleaned, processed, graded, packed and
exported.
The venture has already made initial contact with potential buyers in
USA and Japan. Since the venture is a social enterprise, the buyers
emphasize 'fair and direct' trade and have verbally committed to
providing technical assistance for quality control, product packaging
and handling as well as export procedures.
Sewalanka Organic Seeds will purchase the products from the
out-growers and will redistribute a portion of the profits through the
farmer organizations.
This model will encourage more farmers to adopt 'better practices'
and enhance Sri Lanka's capacity to export high quality organic seeds.
Directors of Sewalanka Organic Seeds Company, Dr. A. J. Kiessel and
H. K. N. Weraduwa signed the agreement on behalf of the company.
|