Crysbro boosts Sri Lanka’s food security program with seed paddy production

 

Cementing its continued commitment to support the food security list of the country, the leading poultry producer Crysbro has recently launched operations on seed paddy production in a bid to elevate the ability of local rice production. Crysbro's operations extend over a 1000-acre stretch of land in the Suriyapura village of Kantale. A state-of-the-art laboratory and technical facility set up on the Kantale farm of the business assists operations.

Currently, Crysbro manufactures seed paddy varieties BG352, BG358, BG366, BW367, and BG300. This mega project runs in a purely eco-friendly manner, with a prime emphasis on soil and water conservation.  "At the time of Crysbro's major investment in the Suriyapura village of Kantale, most of its residents did not have a lasting source of income, and crop cultivation was limited to a single season of cultivation during the rainwater availability."

"However, Crysbro brought the rural community to life with the introduction of seed paddy production, which brought job opportunities and a constant source of income for most residents of the village," said Amores Sellar, Senior Marketing Manager at Crysbro.

Though Sri Lanka is self-sufficient in rice, the high seed paddy cost is currently forcing numbers of farmers to move away from paddy farming to other, more viable crops. It was this realisation that motivated Crysbro to grow and provide seed paddy at concessionary prices to these farming communities in an attempt to improve the rice production of the country and thus its food protection.

Among the many other impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak was its effect on the country's food supply chain. With the profound scarcity of imported food products, people had to rely solely on local produce. "This unexpected crisis inadvertently shed light on a looming food safety issue and allowed us to deepen Crysbro's deep commitment to this cause by concentrating our efforts on securing local rice production through seed paddy production," he added.

Crysbro currently grows rice and maise on a large scale, benefiting over 10,000 farming families in the districts of Mahiyanganaya, Moneragala, and Anuradhapura. Suriyapura, a village populated by people directly and profoundly impacted by the 30-year long civil war, has made tremendous economic and social progress with the many initiatives and investments Crysbro has made in this area.

OSL Take - The Sri Lankan administration's move to re-create a viable market place for paddy produced in the country is symbolic of the pledge towards the recovery of the country’s farming sector. The state, with Indian aid, is currently in the process of establishing a large-scale warehouse to increase the number of proper storage facilities for vegetables and fruits produced in the country. Foreign companies engaged in agriculture could discover business opportunities in Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector by looking at providing the latest in knowledge, products, and technology while also looking at establishing joint ventures with regional companies to engage in direct cultivation.

Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector is engaged in the realisation and upgrading of its agriculture methods. Also, attention is being given to the development of new varieties of crops that are climate resilient and to technologically advanced methods of storing yields to minimise wastage while preserving goods. This application has resulted in the creation of many business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector.

 VBS/AT/19102020/Z_TB1