Sri Lanka's first rice flour plant opens

by Mohammed NAALIR

Alli Company (Pvt) Ltd launched Sri Lanka's first rice flour mill last week.

The Chinese manufacturing plant has a capacity of grinding 5,000 kg of rice flour per hour.

The company commenced operations in 1961. Initially produced cigars.

Guests inspecting the rice milling plant.                                    Pic: Geeth de Mel

According to market needs the company later shifted from tobacco based products to food products.

Alli has expanded its products to include jams and cordials distributed through a sales network covering the whole island.

Former Minister Piyasiri Wijenayake, Assistant Governor, Central Bank W.M. Karunaratne and Finance Ministry Senior Project Director P. V. Pathirana were present.

W. M. Karunaratne, Assistant Governor, Central Bank said that nearly Rs. 30,000 million is being spent on wheat flour imports every year.

This amount could be cut down to half by popularising rice flour to make bread, sweets and other related items.

The quality of rice flour should be improved to achieve this goal. Only a few items can be made with the rice flour that is available presently in the market.

The rice flour to be distributed to the market will have the capacity of making all items including bread.

Twenty rice milling plants will be set up throughout the country to meet rice flour needs, according to Karunaratne.

He said that industrialists and farmers have entered into one stream which is a symbol of development. Industrialists and the farmers went on different tracks earlier.

Karunaratne said that as the Alli Company is purchasing orid, dhal and kurakkan from the farmers directly, the interference of middlemen is minimised.

The benefits for the farmers have also increased.

Former Minister Piyasiri Wijenayake referring to the Panpiti Thrasthawadaya said that Alli Company has taken the most appropriate step of making bread and other related items out of rice flour after getting down machinery and experts from China.

The atmosphere is now conducive to strengthen the agricultural based economy of this country.

In contrast rice was consumed before the arrival of imperialists to this country who introduced wheat flour.

There are quality fruits in our country. I request the Alli Company to commence fresh fruit drink production, said Wijenayake.